Gobind Sagar

Gobind Sagar
Location Bilaspur District
Coordinates 31°25′N 76°30′E / 31.417°N 76.500°E / 31.417; 76.500Coordinates: 31°25′N 76°30′E / 31.417°N 76.500°E / 31.417; 76.500
Type Reservoir)
Primary inflows 4.4- 8.0 million cusecs
Primary outflows 4.9- 7.0 million cusecs
Basin countries India
Max. depth 163.07 m (535.0 ft)
Water volume 7,501,775 acre·ft (9.25 km3)[1]
References FAO

Gobind Sagar is a man-made reservoir situated in Bilaspur District, Himachal Pradesh.[2] It is formed by the Bhakra Dam.

The reservoir is on the river Sutlej and is named in honour of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru. One of the world's highest gravity dams, the Bhakra dam rises nearly 225.5 m above its lowest foundations. Under the supervision of the American dam-builder, Harvey Slocum,[3] work began in the year of 1955 and was completed in 1962. To maintain the level of water, the flow of river Beas was channelized to Gobind Sagar by the Beas-Sutlej link which was accomplished in 1976.[4]

Location and other aspects

The reservoir lies in the Bilaspur District and Una District. Bilaspur is about 91 km away from the Bhakra Dam.[5]

In October and November, when the water level of the reservoir is high, a series of regattas are also organised by the Tourism and Civil Aviation department. Water-skiing, sailing, kayaking and water scooter racing are popular water sports activities during this period.Major attractions of the lake include ferry rides and water sports like speedboating.

Gobind Sagar was declared as a water fowl refuge in 1962. Fishing is commonly practiced here. It has about fifty one species and sub species. Labeo dero, Tor picturata, Mystus seenghala and Mirror carp are some of the common species found here.

Water Sports

Gobind Sagar reservoir in Bilaspur (H.P.) with its 56 km length and nearly 3 km breadth.It offers a variety of watersports activities in close collaboration with the Directorate tourism and Civil Aviation and Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports. Due to fluctuating level of Lake here, the watersports are mainly confined to half of the year i.e. August to January. During this period the activities include swimming, surfing, water-skiing, kayaking, rowing, canoeing, white water river rafting. Courses are conducted at three levels – beginners, intermediate and advance. For this Tourism Department of Himachal Pradesh has constructed a huge Water Sports Complex in Luhnoo Ground,Bilaspur with all the boarding, lodging and equipment facilities.

River rafting or white water rafting, as it is also called, is swiftly making Bilaspur a focus for this scintillating sport. For a torrent of adrenaline to gush through every vein and surge cover every muscle, one can race over the rapids of river – Sutlej, right from Rampur to Bilaspur through serpentine path in deep gorges, placid mountains, green alpine meadows and thick forests, all forming an immense spectrum. Non swimmers and novice can also have this thrilling experience in an inflatable rubber dinghy, on some of the gentler rapids.

Earnest efforts are on to harness the vast potential in water sports to bring Bilaspur (H.P.) on the world map.

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ himachaltourism.gov.in
  3. ↑ India After Gandhi. Ramachandra Guha (2008). India After Gandhi, page 215. Pan Macmillan Ltd., London.
  4. ↑ http://www.himachalworld.com/himachal-geography/lakes-in-himachal.html
  5. ↑
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