Mettur Dam

dam, India

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June 30, 2026

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The Mettur Dam is a significant structure located on the Kaveri River in southern India, specifically in the state of Tamil Nadu. Completed in 1934, it impounds a lake known as the Stanley Reservoir, which covers approximately 60 square miles. The dam's primary purposes are to enhance irrigation and provide hydroelectric power, thereby fostering agricultural and industrial development in the region. Its construction facilitated the growth of industries near Salem, a city historically known for its textile production and mineral resources like iron ore, bauxite, and manganese.12

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Kaveri River
There the Mettur Dam, 5,300 feet (1,620 metres) long and 176 feet (54 metres) high, impounds a lake (Stanley Reservoir) of 60 square miles (155 square km). The Mettur Project, completed in 1934, created an important agricultural and industrial area by improving irrigation and providing hydropower.
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There the Mettur Dam, 5,300 feet (1,620 metres) long and 176 feet (54 metres) high, impounds a lake (Stanley Reservoir) of 60 square miles (155 square km). The Mettur Project, completed in 1934, created an important agricultural and industrial area by improving irrigation and providing hydropower.
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Salem
The completion of the Mettur Dam on the Kaveri in 1937 facilitated the development of large-scale industry in the region.
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The completion of the Mettur Dam on the Kaveri in 1937 facilitated the development of large-scale industry in the region.
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