Jawai Bandh is a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

built across the Jawai river, a tributary of

Luni river The Luni is the largest river in the Thar Desert of northwest India. It originates in the Pushkar valley of the Aravalli Range, near Ajmer, passes through the southeastern portion of the Thar Desert, and ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch ...

, in

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

Geography and History

The dam is situated near

Sumerpur Sumerpur is a city in the south part of Pali District of Rajasthan state in India. Named after Maharaja Sumer Singh of Jodhpur, it came into existence in 1912 on the northern bank of Jawai river. The town is headquarters of the Sumerpur reve ...

town in

Pali District Pali district is a district in Rajasthan, India. The city of Pali is its administrative headquarters. History In 120 AD, during the Kushana Age, King Kanishka conquered the Rohat and Jaitaran areas, parts of today's Pali district. Until the ...

state in India. The dam was built by Maharaja

Umaid Singh Umaid Singh (8 July 1903 – 9 June 1947), also spelled Umed Singh, was Maharaja of Jodhpur from 1918 until his death, He was the Rajput Ruler. The second son of Sardar Singh of Jodhpur, he succeeded his elder brother Maharaja Sir Sume ...

Jodhpur Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the Ki ...

. The idea of building a dam over River Jawai was conceived in 1903 as its flooding waters caused heavy damage in Pali and Jalore district during monsoon. It was finally given shape in 1946. The project was to construct a dam across the river, creation of water reservoir, which could be used for water irrigation and hydel power generation. The work started on 12 May 1946. By 1951, when first 5-year plan was launched, nearly 124 Lakh Rupees were already spent on this project. The hydel project was suspended, since sufficient pressure was not likely to be available through out the year, after meeting the irrigation demand. Revised estimated cost was revised to Rupees 300 Lakhs. Project completed in 1957. This dam covers an area of 13 km². This is the biggest man made dam in western Rajasthan. The dam has the capacity of 7887.5 million cubic feet and covers an area of of cultivable command area. Its height is about . Sei dam and Kalibor dam are the feeder dams of the Jawai dam. The catchment area of the dam site is 720 square kilometres and basin is in the shape of a fan. It is the main water supply source for Pali district. If there is sufficient water in the dam, then some villages of

Jalore district Jalore District is a district of Rajasthan state in western India. The city of Jalore is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district has an area of (3.11 percent of Rajasthan's area), and a population of 1,828,730 (2011 census) ...

and

Pali district Pali district is a district in Rajasthan, India. The city of Pali is its administrative headquarters. History In 120 AD, during the Kushana Age, King Kanishka conquered the Rohat and Jaitaran areas, parts of today's Pali district. Until the ...

get water for irrigation from the Jawai dam, which was the main aim in making this dam.

Biodiversity

Jawai is now known for its leopard sightings, bird watching. Many migratory bird species are spotted here during winter season. Jawai dam is also known for large crocodile population, as of 2020 there were 377 crocodiles in Jawai Dam.

Gallery

Jawai Dam capturing Rajasthan.jpg, This image is captured from the backside of Jawai Bandh. Jawai heritage.jpg, For many years Jawai has been preserving flora and fauna in this part of the Rajasthan. Being a point for many birds during the migration or for settlement Jawai more than a dam.jpg, Very few people know that the Jawai dam is a grazing ground for many sheep. The farmers of the village bring their sheep near the water area for grazing. Jawai Dam.jpg, Scenic beauty of Jawai dam. This image captures the amount of water level that has reduced in this Dam. Predators of Jawai.jpg, Jawai dam constituting many crocodiles that rest on the shores during the daytime or wait for their pray to come nearby. Jawai_Bandh4.jpg , Flamingo sighting at Jawai Dam JAWAI_BERA_LEOPARD.5.jpg, Leopard sighting near Jawai Dam

References

* {{Hydrography of Rajasthan Dams in Rajasthan Tourist attractions in Pali district Dams completed in 1957 1957 establishments in Rajasthan