Bennithora Dam was built in 2001 across the river Bennithora flowing through the Krishna basin. The dam is located at Herur village in Chithapur Taluk near Gulbarga. The dam was constructed to serve multiple purposes of irrigation and providing water supply for drinking and other purposes in the surrounding areas.
Bennithora dam is spread over an area of 45 sq. miles. The reservoir has a length of 2340 meters. The height of the dam rises to 31.39 meters above the foundation. The left bank canal (LBC) extends to a distance of 60 km to benefit 20 villages and to irrigate 13,055 acres of land. The right bank canal (RBC) runs up to a distance of about 82 km to benefit 28 villages and to irrigate 36109 acres.
The catchment area of the dam is 220.409 Th ha. With a full reservoir level (FRL) of 438.89 meters, the maximum water level possible in the dam is 440.56 meters. The dam consists of 7 radial spillway gates in a 40.5384 meters long spillway. The design flood capacity of the dam stands at 8794.64 cumec.
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QUICK FACTS | |
| Built on | River Bennithora |
| Type | Earthen + Gravity Dam |
| Length | 2340 meters |
| Height | 31.39 meters above its deepest foundation |
| Catchment Area | 220.409 Th ha |
| Full Reservoir Level (FRL) | 438.89 meters |
| Maximum Water Level | 440.56 meters |
| Minimum Draw Down Level (MDDL) | 428.22 meters |
| Gross storage capacity | 149.98 mcm |
| Live storage capacity | 145.78 mcm |
| Purpose | Irrigation, Drinking / Water Supply |
| Design Flood | 8794.64 cumec |
| Length of Spillway | 40.5384 meters |
| Type of Spillway | Ogee |
| Number of Spillway gates | 7 |
| Type of Spillway gates | Radial |
| Size of Spillway Gates | 15 m x 11.5 m |
| Projects | Irrigation Project |
Bennithora Dam: Nearby tourist attractions
Bennithora dam has several tourist attractions near it. Visitors can have a nice time exploring the many tourist destinations spread across the district of Gulbarga. Some of the popular destinations for sight-seeing in Gulbarga are:
Gulbarga Fort: The Gulbarga fort is a huge ancient structure with many buildings, masjids, temples, ammunition dumps and other structures inside it. The rich Islamic style of architecture is one of the highlights of the fort that attracts visitors from far and near.
Jama Masjid: This historic mosque was built in the year 1367 A.D. The mosque holds attraction for visitors as it was built to recreate the look of the mosque of Cordova in Spain. The structure has 68 domes and is famous for being one of the oldest mosques in the country.
Sannati: This famous tourist destination is situated on the banks of river Bhima. The village of Sannati has the popular Chandralamba temple. This temple is well-known for its beautiful architecture done in the traditional Kerala style. The village also has the ruins of an ancient Buddhist Mahastupa and many ancient sculptures.
Sharanbasaveshvar Garden: Sharanbasaveshvar Garden is a popular tourist destination located on the tank bunk road. Visitors can enjoy the pleasures of boating, taking a walk in the well-maintained gardens and relishing delicious snacks while relaxing in the garden. The place is ideal for family outings.
Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib: This Sikh gurudwara is dedicated to the first guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev. The sacred structure was built in the year 1948. A holy tank exists near the gurudwara. Devotees believe that a dip in this tank washes away a person’s sins and purifies his soul.
Gol Gumbaz: The Gol Gumbaz is well-known for being the second largest dome in the world. The uniqueness of the structure is that it has no pillar to support the huge dome. Gol Gumbaz houses the mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah.
Bennithora Dam: How to reach
Visitors can easily reach Bennithora Dam via Gulbarga. To reach Gulbarga the nearest international airport is the Bangalore airport. The Sholapur domestic airport is also very near to Gulbarga. Tourists can hire taxis from the airports to reach Gulbarga.
Travellers can also reach the city through trains as the Gulbarga Railway Station has lots of trains plying regularly between the city and several parts of Karnataka and beyond.
The city has strong road connectivity. A number of private and state-run buses connect Gulbarga to several cities and towns like Bangalore, Hubli, Bijapur, etc. The buses are available at frequent intervals of time every day.
Bennithora Dam: Resorts and hotels nearby
There are many budget and luxurious hotels available for tourists to stay and discover the beauty of Bennithora Dam in Gulbarga. The hotels carry all basic amenities like TV, heater, AC, etc. The food provided in the hotels is also delicious.
Contact addresses and phone numbers of a few resorts and hotels of the area are listed below:
Pariwar Hotel
1-73 / 1, Opposite To KPTCL,
Station Road, Gulbarga
Karnataka – 585101
Phone: +91 847 2221 421 / 847 2222 451
Hotel Santosh
Bilgundi Garden, University Road,
Gulbarga, Karnataka – 585105
Phone: +91 847 2247 991
Mohan Lodge
MSK Mill Road,
Gulbarga, Karnataka – 585102
Phone: +91 847220 294
Also see,
- Amarja Dam
- Chandrampalli Dam
- Gandorinala Dam
- About Dams in Karnataka
- About Gulbarga
- Forts in Karnataka
- Rivers in Karnataka
- Water falls in Karnataka