TessaLovins0 at 10:09, 12 February 2026

2026-02-12T10:09:10Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox dam
| name = Pazhassi Dam<br>Kuyilur Barrage
| name_official =
| image = Pazhassi Dam.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| image_alt =
| location_map = India#India Kerala
| location_map_size =
| location_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|11|58|42|N|75|36|43|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| country =
| location = [[Kannur District]], [[Kerala]], India
| purpose = Irrigation and drinking water supply
| status = O
| construction_began =
| opening = 1979
| demolished =
| cost =
| owner =
| dam_type =
| dam_height = {{Convert|18.99|m}}
| dam_height_thalweg =
| dam_height_foundation=
| dam_length = {{Convert|245|m}}
| dam_width_crest =
| dam_width_base =
| dam_volume =
| dam_elevation_crest =
| dam_crosses =
| spillway_count = 16
| spillway_type = Radial gates
| spillway_capacity = {{Convert|3510|m3}} per second
| res_name =
| res_capacity_total = {{Convert|97500000|m3|acre.ft|0|abbr=on}}
| res_capacity_active = {{Convert|97500000|m3|acre.ft|0|abbr=on}}
| res_capacity_inactive=
| res_catchment =
| res_surface = {{Convert|6.5|km2|mi2|0|abbr=on}}
| res_elevation = {{Convert|26.52| m}}
| res_max_depth =
| res_max_length =
| res_max_width =
| res_tidal_range =
| plant_operator =
| plant_commission =
| plant_decommission =
| plant_type =
| plant_turbines =
| plant_capacity =
| plant_annual_gen =
| website =
| extra =
}}

The '''Pazhassi Dam''' also called '''Kuyilur Barrage''' is a stone masonry diversion structure in [[Kannur district]], [[Kerala]], India.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-09-18 |title=Kuyiloor barrage in urgent need of repair |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kuyiloor-barrage-in-urgent-need-of-repair/article2465155.ece |access-date=2026-02-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It is named after king [[Pazhassi Raja]], a patriot who died a heroic death in the war. The dam is constructed across the west flowing [[Bavali river]] near Veliyambra. It was commissioned by Prime Minister [[Morarji Desai]] in 1979. It mainly functions as an irrigation dam, serving a command area of {{Convert|11525|ha}} in [[Iritty]] taluk of the [[Kannur]] District. The water from this dam also meets the drinking water requirement of Kannur district. The dam site and the reservoir are known for their scenery.<ref name=Central>{{Cite web|url=http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Pazhassi_Irrigation_Project_JI02676|title=Pazhassi Irrigation Project JI02676|publisher=Central Water Commission|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928024323/http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Pazhassi_Irrigation_Project_JI02676|archive-date=2013-09-28}}</ref><ref name=Kulur>{{Cite web|url=http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412224745/http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Chorkhamara_D01008|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 April 2013|title=Pazhassi (Kulur Barrage) B00479|publisher=Central Water Commission}}</ref><ref name=water>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwc.nic.in/main/downloads/National%20Register%20of%20Large%20Dams%202009.pdf|title=National Register of Large Dams|publisher=Central Water Commission|access-date=11 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219204531/http://www.cwc.nic.in/main/downloads/National%20Register%20of%20Large%20Dams%202009.pdf|archive-date=19 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Place>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Pazhassi-project-gets-a-rusting-place/2013/05/09/article1581333.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511052835/http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Pazhassi-project-gets-a-rusting-place/2013/05/09/article1581333.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 May 2013|title=Pazhassi project gets a rusting place|access-date=27 May 2015|newspaper=New Indian Express}}</ref>

==Topography==
The dam is built at Kuyiloor across the Bavali River, in the basin of the West flowing rivers from Tadri to Kanyakumari. It rises in the [[Coorg]] (in [[Karnataka]]) at {{Convert|2500| ft}} and drains a catchment area of {{Convert|1028|km2}}. The mean annual rainfall in the catchment is {{Convert|3622| mm}}. The nearest towns to the dam site are [[Mattanur]] and [[Iritty]].<ref name=Central/><ref name=Kulur/>

==Features==
[[File:Pazhassi Dam - Dam, garden and reservoir22.jpg|thumb|left|Pazhassi Dam and its 16 gates in operation]]
The diversion dam or barrage, built with stone masonry to function as a major irrigation project, is {{Convert|18.99|m}} in height and has a length of {{Convert|245|m}}. At the Full Reservoir Level of {{Convert|26.52| m}}, with a water spread area of {{Convert|650|ha}}, the dam has a gross storage capacity of {{Convert|97500000|m3|acre.ft|0|abbr=on}}. The spillway designed to rout a design flood discharge of {{Convert|3510|m3}} per second is fitted with 16 radial gates over a length of {{Convert|138|m}}.<ref name=Central/><ref name=Kulur/><ref name=water/>

While the dam was completed in 1978, its irrigation component was completed in 1979. The water stored in the reservoir is diverted for irrigation through a control structure on the left bank of the barrage to the main canal of {{Convert|46.26|km}} length, designed to carry a discharge of {{Convert|20|m3}} per second. The gross command area under the canal system is {{Convert|23650| ha}} with a net command area of {{Convert|11525|ha}} (as against the earlier planned figure of {{Convert|16110|ha}}) to mainly raise three crops of [[Rice|paddy]] every year in the [[Iritty]] and [[Taliparamba|Taliparamba taluks]] of Kannur district; other crops grown in the command are coconut, arecanut, cashew nut, tapioca, pepper, ginger, turmeric and vegetables. The network of canals includes six branch canals of {{Convert|76.35|km}} total length and 32 distributaries of {{Convert|136.4|km}} total length. The entire command is covered under the Command Area Development Programme (CADP) of the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India and is being monitored since 2003.<ref name=Central/><ref name=Kulur/>

==Failure of gates==
On 7 August 2012, some of the gates of the barrage failed to open, causing the flood waters to overflow the barrage for 20 hours.<ref name=safe/> There was no damage to life or the dam structure, but minor property and crop loss occurred. The gates were repaired at a cost of Rs 70 million.<ref name=safe>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/pazhassi-dam-is-now-safe/article3742217.ece|title=Pazhassi dam is now safe|access-date=27 May 2015|date=8 August 2012|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Pazhassi Dam Gardens==
<gallery>
File:Pazhassi Dam - Dam, garden and reservoir15.jpg
File:Pazhassi Dam - Dam, garden and reservoir18.jpg
File:Pazhassi Dam - Dam, garden and reservoir9.jpg
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of dams and reservoirs in India]]
*[[List of dams and reservoirs in Kerala]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Tourism in Kerala}}
{{Dams in Kerala}}

[[Category:Dams completed in 1979]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kannur district]]
[[Category:1979 establishments in Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century architecture in India]]
[[Category:Dams in Kannur district]]

Pazhassi Dam - Revision history

TessaLovins0 at 10:09, 12 February 2026