Kanher Dam is situated in Satara district of Maharashtra and is a key source of power generation for the district. The dam is located on the Satara-Mahabaleshwar road when one travels through Medha. The dam is a place of immense tourist interest as it lies cuddled in the bosom of nature. The scenic view of the dam and its surroundings keeps attracting tourists and locals. The view is particularly breathtaking during the monsoon when an uninterrupted carpet of lush greenery engulfs the place.

History of Kanher Dam

The Kanher Dam was built in 1986 on the bed of the Venna River which is downstream of a sleepy town called Medha. The dam is visible from the plateau of the village Dund and is famous for its stunning waterfall known locally as Paabal. The dam is 1,954 meters long and approximately 50 meters high. The gross water storage capacity of the dam stands at more than 68,000 cubic meters. The dam plays an important role in the areas of irrigation and power generation of the district.

Satara district lies in the western part of Maharashtra. Agriculture is the main profession of the people, especially those living in the interior villages. The major crops grown by the farmers here include jowar, bajra, gram, rice, groundnut, potato and soyabean among others. The annual crop, sugarcane is grown in large quantities here as Satara is blessed with abundant rains. Water from the Kanher Dam help farmers in keeping the water-guzzling sugarcane crop irrigated. Fish cultivation is another major industry which needs lots of water. Satara district is believed to have the largest number of fisheries in the state with over 14,000 hectares being used for the purpose. There are ten major, 13 medium-sized and 80 minor irrigated projects in Satara. A good percentage of water for this industry also is sourced from Kanher Dam.

Other Places of Attraction Nearby

Kas Plateau and Kas Lake

The man-made lake is a popular place situated on Kas Plateau and flocked by tourist to enjoy the natural beauty of the place. It is situated 26 km from Satara and easily accessible by road. The lake was built in 1875 and is the main source of drinking water to the city. A large variety of flowers of various colors and shapes grow here during monsoon. The whole plateau takes on a colorful, carpeted look during the rainy season.

Tapola

Tapola is famous locally as ‘The Mini Kashmir’ as the small rivulets with dam and deep green wood gives it an appearance that resembles the original Heaven on Earth. Bamnoli which is located approximately 35 km from Satara main city is a small, idyllic village located on the banks of Shiv-Sagar Lake. This lake is part of the backwaters of Koyna dam and attracts tourists because of the picnicking and boating facilities, besides the stunning natural beauty.

How to Reach

Kanher Dam is approximately 21 km from Satara and is easily reachable by road. There are state transport buses and private taxis available to take you from Satara city to Kanher.