Maithon Dam, Dhanbad
Maithon Dam is located 48 kilometers from Dhanbad, Jharkhand. It measures 15,712 feet (4,789 meters) long and 165 feet (50 meters) tall. Maithon's name is derived from "Mai Ka Sthan," which means the place of the Hindu Goddess Maa Kalyaneshwari.
This dam was specifically developed for flood control and produces 60,000 kW of electricity. There is an underground power station, the first of its sort in all of Southeast Asia. The dam is built on the Barakar River. The lake covers 65 square kilometers (25 square miles).
During World War II, a flood in the Damodar valley completely isolated Calcutta for ten weeks. The government acted quickly and summoned Mr. W.L.Voord, a civil engineer with the Tennessee Valley Authority. He designed the dam plans by 1945. Finally, on July 7, 1953, the first dam of independent India was built in Tilaiya. Konar, Maithon, and Panchet Dams followed suit in 1955, 1957, and 1959, respectively.
