Bhimgoda Barrage 2.87

The Bhimgoda Barrage, also referred to as the Bhimgoda Weir or Bhimgoda Head Works, is a barrage on the Ganges River at Har ki Pauri near Haridwar in Haridwar district, Uttarakhand, India. Built as the headworks of the Upper Ganges Canal, an initial barrage was completed by 1854 and replaced twice; the final one completed in 1983. The primary purpose for the barrage is irrigation but it also serves to provide water for hydroelectric power production and control floods. The area behind the barrage is known as the Neel Dhara Bird Sanctuary and is a popular destination for various waterbirds and tourists.BackgroundThe initial barrage was constructed between 1840 and 1854 to supply the Upper Ganges Canal with water and control flooding. This was done during a significant period of infrastructure development in India. Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India at the time inaugurated the project. A permanent barrage was later erected 3km upstream of the barrage between 1913 and 1920 to support the canal better. A new barrage was constructed downstream between 1979 and 1983 to replace the older barrage upstream. The Pathri and Mohanpur Mohammadpur Power Plants along the canal's length were commissioned in 1955 and 1952, respectively.