| Asan Barrage | |
|---|---|
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  Asan Barrage Location of Asan Barrage in Uttarakhand | |
| Country | India |
| Location | Dakpathar,Uttarakhand |
| Coordinates | 30°26′09″N77°39′56″E / 30.43583°N 77.66556°E /30.43583; 77.66556 |
| Opening date | 1967 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Length | 287.5 m (943 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Surface area | 4 km2 (2 sq mi) |
| Power Station | |
| Commission date | Kulhal: 1975 |
| Turbines | Kulhal: 3 x 10MWKaplan-type Khara: 3 x 24 MWFrancis-type |
| Installed capacity | Kulhal: 30 MW Khara: 72 MW |
| Official name | Asan Conservation Reserve |
| Designated | 21 July 2020 |
| Reference no. | 2437[1] |
TheAsan Barrage is abarrage in theUttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border region inDoon Valley (Dehradun district), northernIndia, situated at the confluence of the Eastern Yamuna Canal and theAsan River[2] and about 11 km (7 mi) fromDakpathar, and 28 km. northwest ofDehradun inUttarakhand. The barrage is 287.5m long and has water throughout the year which is fed from the river Asan and the discharge channel of the river Yamuna.[3] Since 2020 it has been declared asUttarakhand's firstRamsar site.[4]
Directly behind the barrage on its eastern flank, water reenters the Eastern Yamuna Canal on the west side of theYamuna River. At a distance of 4.5 km (3 mi) from the barrage on the canal, water reaches the 30 MW Kulhal Power Plant at30°25′43″N77°37′46″E / 30.42861°N 77.62944°E /30.42861; 77.62944 (Kulhal Power Plant). The power plant contains three 10 MWKaplan turbine-generators and has a designhydraulic head of 18 m (59 ft).[5] Once discharged from the power station, the water is conducted by the canal 13 km (8 mi) to the 72 MW Khara Power Station at30°21′02″N77°36′06″E / 30.35056°N 77.60167°E /30.35056; 77.60167 (Khara Power Plant) inUttar Pradesh. The Khara Power Station contains three 24 MWFrancis turbine-generators and a has a net head of 43 m (141 ft).[6]
The dam creates theAsan Reservoir, also calledDhalipur Lake. The lake is popular for bird watching and 53 species are known to make a habitat there,[2] 19 species are migratory fromEurasia.[citation needed]
The Asan river is a river fed by the streams of the western part of theDoon Valley. The northern section of the river is known locally as the 'Tons' (a misnomer, the actualTons River is much larger and flows into theYamuna in theJaunsar-Bawar region at Kalsi); originates from the southern slopes ofMussoorie. There are several streams here, that gradually merge into one river that emerges fromRobber's Cave. The river here is in a U-shaped valley meandering slightly in a south-westerly direction. The river flows throughBijapur canal; a major water pumping site of Dehradun that provides water to houses in the western part of the town through two water canals. It then moves on toTapkeshwar Mahadev, a popularShiva shrine before becoming a more shallow, broad valley near Premnagar. The river proceeds south-west, receiving the waters of several streams flowing southward from the northern range spanningVikasnagar–Mussoorie; and northward from the lowerSivalik Hills that separate The Doon Valley fromSaharanpur district ofUttar Pradesh. In the lower section it is known as the 'Asan'. It flows into a relatively flat section which feeds the Asan Barrage, the waters of which drain into the Yamuna atPaonta Sahib inHimachal Pradesh.
The Asan River has been identified with theAsmanvati of theRigveda.
The Bird Sanctuary was established in 1967 as a manmade wetland where rivers Yamuna and Asan converged.[7] This area attracts a large number of migratory birds, including birds that are extremely endangered and in the IUCN Redlist.[7] Since 2020 the wetland has been designated as a protectedRamsar site.[1]
The best time to visit the Barrage is between October and December, and between mid-March to the end of April.[7] The barrage is open all days of the week, from 8am to 6pm.[8] Boating and bird-watching are two activities that tourists enjoy here.
