About Jawai Bandh

Jawai Bandh is a dam located in Rajasthan, India. It is a man-made lake that was created by damming the Jawai River. The dam was built to control the flow of the river and to provide irrigation for the surrounding agricultural land. The dam is also used for hydroelectric power generation.

History

JAWAI BANDH is situated in district Pali near jodhpur rajasthan. The place is named after the village Jawai. The place was built in the span of 11 years by Maharaja Umaid Singh of Jodhpur. The idea to build the dam on the river was conceived in 1903 as the river is flooding during the monsoon and causing huge damage in the Pali and Jalore. The idea took shape before independence in 1946. The project was to build a dam across the river to create a water reservoir which can be used as water for irrigation and hydel power generation. The construction of the dam was completed in 1957. The dam covers an area of 13 Km² which makes it the biggest man made dam in the western Rajasthan.

The dam has the capacity to store 7887.5 million cubic feet and covers an area of 102,315 acres (414.05 km2) of cultivable command area. Kalibor and Sei dam are the feeders of Jawai Dam. The catchment area of the dam is 720 Sq Km and the basin is in the shape of a fan. The Jawai dam is the main source of water for people of Pali District. If the dam has the sufficient amount of stored water it may supply to the villages of Pali and Jalore District for irrigation, this is the main objective of constructing the dam.

Jawai Dam is not only famous for its dam but also for its sightseeing and biodiversity. It has been developed as a tourist spot. The major tourist attraction is its biodiversity as one can spot leopards, birds, and crocodiles. A huge amount of birds have been seen in the winter season who have migrated due to the climatic change. Jawai dam is also a home for approx 400 crocodiles.