Dimna Lake
Why in News?
Dimna Lake is in the news because it received prestigious national recognition during India's 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in New Delhi.
Location and Geography
- The Steel City Lifeline: Situated roughly 13 to 15 kilometers away from the city limits of Jamshedpur in the East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
- Mountain Foothills: It is nestled directly at the foothills of the scenic Dalma mountain range.
- Ecological Neighbour: The lake shares its boundary with the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, making it an active zone for biodiversity.
History and Construction
- The Builder: The artificial reservoir was constructed by Tata Steel under the Dimna Nala Water Supply Scheme.
- Timeline: Construction began in February 1940 to address the rapid expansion of the industrial city and concluded in 1944.
- Inaugural Supply: Water from the lake was officially pumped into Jamshedpur homes for the first time on April 17, 1944.
- The Source: It was formed by constructing composite dams across the Dimna Nala, effectively gathering rainwater catchment from a 36-square-mile hilly terrain. It is also supported by water pumped from the Subarnarekha River.
Technical Specifications & Capacity
- Massive Storage: Built with a maximum storage capacity of roughly 7,500 million gallons (approx. 120 lakh cubic feet).
- Dimension Spread: The surface area spans about 5.5 to 27 square kilometers depending on seasonal catchment, with a length of 3.5 miles and a width of 1 mile.
- Dam Structure: Features two composite dams—one measuring 800 feet and the second measuring 1,200 feet in length, reaching a peak height of 83 feet.
