Kodaganar Dam

Following heavy rains in the Kodaikanal range during 1978 in Western Ghats, flooding happened due to overtopping by flood waters. The waters which flowed over the downstream slopes of the embankment and breached the dam along various reaches.^[1] In addition, there was an Earthquake registered during the period of failure although the foundation was strong. Tough shutters were promptly operated during flood, the staff could only partially lift the shutters, due to power failure the additional stand-by generator commissioned did not help either. The staff then opted for the manual operation of shutters. In spite of all efforts, water eventually overtopped the embankment. Water gushed over the rear slopes, as a cascade of water was eroding the slopes. Breaches of length 20 m to 200 m were observed. It appeared as if the entire dam was overtopped and breached.^[2] Flooding happened downstream and the dam then part of Madurai district and Tiruchirappalli district with many lives lost downstream mostly in present-day Aravakuruchi taluk.

The dam was later fully reconstructed and reopened in mid-1990s with a height of 12.75 meters.

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