Introduction

A couple of years ago, I discovered India’s Central Water Commission’s (CWC) National Register of Large Dams (2019). I was so intrigued by the seemingly endless amount of tables in the 300-page PDF file that I wrote a Python script to convert the tables into a single CSV file.

Methodology

Now, I’ve used the programming language R to analyse some of the data. The map below shows all large dams in India and highlights the seismic zones they are in as well as their height above the lowest foundation level. (Unfortunately, I couldn’t use other interesting variables such as dam length or reservoir area because some of the data were entered incorrectly by the CWC.)

Results

Analysis

First of all, it's overwhelming how many large dams there are in India (especially in Central and Western India). But it’s just scary how many large and extremely high dams are located in Kutch, a Very High Damage Risk Zone. It is also alarming that a significant number of large dams are located in particularly ecologically (and culturally) vulnerable areas such as the Himalayas or Northeast India.

Limitations

Personally, I wish the data would also include information on the social impacts of India’s large dams, for example the number of dam-affected or displaced people. It would also be important to know whether the large dams have an impact on tribal communities.