Site-Visit to Tillari Irrigation Project

A site visit to Tillari Dam was organized on February 21, 2025, for second-year and final-year students as part of the Hydraulic Engineering, Hydrology, and Water Resources Engineering curriculum. A total of 65 students, accompanied by faculty members Dr. Shwetha Prasanna, Dr. Nitendra Palankar, Asst. Prof. Swaroopa Sail, Asst. Prof. B.R. Anirudha, and Asst. Prof. Genevieve Fernandes, participated in the visit. Assistant Engineer Ulhas Shetye provided detailed insights into the project.

The Tillari Irrigation Project, a joint venture between the Governments of Maharashtra and Goa, was initiated in 1986 to irrigate 23,654 hectares across both states, serving 106 villages. In addition to irrigation, the project supplies 41.90 Mcum of water for industrial use and 15.40 Mcum for drinking purposes in Goa.

Key Components of the Project:

• Main Earthen Dam: 1,035 meters long, 72.55 meters high.
• Gated Pickup Weir: 265 meters long, located at Terwanmedhe village.
• Saddle Spillway: A 278.50-meter masonry dam with four radial gates and an ogee spillway for flood management.
• Hydropower Plant: Two 5,000 kW Kaplan turbines, totaling 10,000 kW capacity.
• Irrigation & Power Outlet Tunnel: A steel-lined penstock with a bypass to maintain canal flow during power station closure.

Irrigation System:

• Left Bank Main Canal (LBMC): 18.799 km in Maharashtra, 37.425 km in Goa.
• Right Bank Main Canal (RBMC): 24.692 km in Maharashtra, 23.755 km in Goa.
• Link Canal: 3.53 km, connecting LBMC and RBMC for discharge augmentation.

This visit provided students with practical insights into dam construction, hydroelectric power generation, and irrigation management, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications.