Idamalayar Dam is built on the River Idamalayar in Ernakulam district of Kerala. The river Idamalayar is a tributary of the Periyar River, the biggest river of Kerala. The construction of the dam which began in 1970 was completed in 1985, when the dam became fully functional.

The Idamalayar Dam is a concrete gravity dam, which means that the dam is made of concrete and gravitational force acts on the weight of the dam to hold it in place against the push of the water from the reservoir created by the dam. The 373 metres(1224 ft) long dam with a height of 102.8 metres (337.3ft) spans the river creating a reservoir of 28.3 sq. kms that is used for production of electricity and irrigation.

The source of the river Idamalayar lies in the Annaimalai Hills which form the southern part of the Western Ghats that is inundated with heavy rainfall in the long monsoon months. The river is a perennial source with a large and wet catchment area covering 381 sqkms in the hilly region .

Purpose

Idamalayar Dam, which is owned and operated by Kerala State Electricity Board is a multipurpose dam that produces hydroelectric power and also benefits the Idamalayar Irrigation Development Project. The two units of the Hydroelectric Power Station that have an installed capacity of 37.5 MW each, use water stored in the reservoir to produce electricity and produce 380 GW of electricity annually. 

Idamalayar Irrigation Development Project also gets water which is released from the Power Station after production of electricity.

Idamalayar Dam located in beautiful lush forests has many recreational facilities that can be enjoyed by tourists such as boating, trekking and bird watching.

Get In

The dam is located 81 kilometres (50 miles) from Ernakulam in Ernakulam district of Kerala.

Nearest  Airports

Cochin International Airport is only 80 kms away and provides international as well as domestic connections.Cochin International Airport offers all facilities needed by the traveler. Other airports in the vicinity are Madurai Airport in Tamil Nadu or Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, which are both about 250 kms away or Calicut Airport which is 222 kms. away.

Nearest Railheads

The nearest Railway Station is at Ernakulam which is 81 kms or 50 miles away. It is a major junction of  Southern Railways and provides rail connections to all major cities and metros of India

Road Connectivity

Roads in Kerala are generally good and criss-cross across hills and plains of Kerala. They are motorable and provide good connectivity between towns and cities of the state

Buses of Kerala State Road Transportation Corporation (KSRTC), the Kerala government owned transport ply between the dam site and many places in the state

Distance by Road from Idamalayar Dam to Major Towns in Kerala

Kothamangalam - 21 kms

SEE

Thattekkadu Bird Sanctuary

Thattekkadu bird sanctuary now called the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary after the great Ornithologist DrSalim Ali is only 24 kms away from Idamalayar Dam. Spread over an area of 25 sq kmand about 500 metres above sea level, the sanctuary is home to more than 500 species of birds, some of them rarely sighted elsewhere such as the Sunbird, Crimson-Throated Barbet, Bee-eater, Pariah Kite etc. Officially announced as a protected area for birds by the Kerala Government, Thattekkadu Bird Sanctuary came into being in the year of 1983. Apart from birds, the sanctuary also protects the flora of the region which includes teak, mahogany etc. and also rare medicinal plants. There are many activities for tourists such as boating, trekking etc. The best time to visit this place is the period between months of September and June.

Bhoothathankettu Dam

Bhoothathankettu is a dam and tourist spot located just 15 kms from Idamalayar Dam. The original Bhoothathankettu dam is a natural dam on Periyar river created by huge boulders that rolled down the surrounding hills in landslides caused by two great floods hundreds of years ago. Folk lore however claims that large rocks were put there by monsters or “Bhoothams” in a bid to submerge the Trikkariyar temple where the presiding deity is Lord Shiva. Their plan was however foiled by the Lord when he tricked them into believing that it was morning by crowing like a rooster because of which they ran away without completing their task. The modern dam is built on the Periyarriver near the site of the historic dam and has created Bhoothathankettu Reservoir (Thattekad Reservoir). This beautiful serene lake in the midst of lush green forests is a haven for tourists. In the season of Malayatoor pilgrimage many pilgrims use roads near the dam that traverse through the forests. There are many recreational facilities for tourists such as boating, trekking and bird watching around the place.