Kaptai Dam (Bengali: কাপ্তাই বাঁধ) is on the Karnaphuli River at Kaptai, 65 km (40 mi) upstream from Chittagong in Rangamati District, Bangladesh. It is an earth-fill embankment dam with a reservoir (known as Kaptai Lake) with water storage capacity of 6,477 million cubic metres (5,251,000 acre⋅ft). The primary purpose of the dam and reservoir was to generate hydroelectric power. Construction was completed in 1962, in then-East Pakistan. The generators in the 230 MW (310,000 hp) Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station were commissioned between 1962 and 1988.[1] It is the only hydroelectric power station in Bangladesh.[2]
A brief reconnaissance occurred in 1906 when the Karnafuli Hydropower Station was first contemplated. A second study was carried out in 1923. In 1946, E. A. Moore recommended the proposed project at Barkal about 65 kilometers upstream of the present dam site at Kaptai. In 1950, the Marz Rendal Vatten Consulting Engineers suggested a site at Chilardak, about 45 kilometers upstream of Kaptai.
In 1951, the government engineers proposed Chitmoram, 11 km (6.8 mi) downstream of the present site. Under the guidance of the chief engineer (Irrigation) Khwaja Azimuddin, the construction site was chosen in 1951. Utah International Inc. was selected as a construction contractor. Construction of the dam started in 1957 and was completed in 1962 during the era of President Muhammad Ayub Khan.
Constructionedit
Starting in 1957, the initial phase of the construction was completed in 1962. By this time the dam, spillway, penstock, and two 40 MW Kaplan turbine generators were built in the power station. In August 1982 a 50 MW generator was commissioned. In October 1988 the fourth and fifth generating units, both 50 MW Kaplan-type turbines, were installed which raised the total generation capacity to 230 MW.[3]
The total cost of Unit 1, Unit 2, and a part of Unit 3 was Rs. 503 million and the total cost of extension was Tk. 1,900 million. The project was financed by the East Pakistan Government (at the time), the United States, and the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund.[3][1]
Descriptionedit
Boat on Kaptai Lake
The earthen dam is 670 m (2,200 ft) long and 45.7 m (150 ft) wide with a 16-gate spillway on the left side.[1] The construction of the dam submerged 655 km2 (253 sq mi) area. This included 220 km2 (85 sq mi) of cultivable land, 40 percent of the cultivable land in the area, and displaced 18,000 families and 100,000 tribal people, of which 70% were Chakma. The dam flooded the original Rangamati town and other structures.[4]
Social and Ecological effectsedit
Inhabitants of the storage reservoir area who lost their homes and farmland due to flooding were not compensated. More than 40,000 Chakma tribals emigrated to Arunachal Pradesh,[5]India.[6] The scarcity of land is considered a main cause of the continuing conflict in the area.[4]
The building of the dam and reservoir also caused the destruction of wilderness and the loss of wildlife and wildlife habitats.[1]
Notesedit
^ abcdBari, M Fazlul (2012). "Dam". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
^Saila Parveen, I. M. Faisal (21 July 2010). "People versus Power: The Geopolitics of Kaptai Dam in Bangladesh". International Journal of Water Resources Development. 18: 197–208. doi:10.1080/07900620220121756. S2CID 154589647.
^ ab"Power Plants" (PDF). Bangladesh Power Development Board. March 2010. (PDF) from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
^ ab. Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2007.
^Chakravarty, Ipsita. "50 years on, Chakma refugees from Bangladesh are still denied citizenship rights in Arunachal". Scroll.in. from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
^"How Chakmas and Hajongs settled in North East, why Arunachal worries about citizenship". The Indian Express. 20 September 2017. from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
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Profile
Embankment Dams
January 01, 1970
kaptai, bengali, karnaphuli, river, kaptai, upstream, from, chittagong, rangamati, district, bangladesh, earth, fill, embankment, with, reservoir, known, kaptai, lake, with, water, storage, capacity, million, cubic, metres, acre, primary, purpose, reservoir, g. Kaptai Dam Bengali ক প ত ই ব ধ is on the Karnaphuli River at Kaptai 65 km 40 mi upstream from Chittagong in Rangamati District Bangladesh It is an earth fill embankment dam with a reservoir known as Kaptai Lake with water storage capacity of 6 477 million cubic metres 5 251 000 acre ft The primary purpose of the dam and reservoir was to generate hydroelectric power Construction was completed in 1962 in then East Pakistan The generators in the 230 MW 310 000 hp Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station were commissioned between 1962 and 1988 1 It is the only hydroelectric power station in Bangladesh 2 Kaptai DamThe dam in 2023Location of Kaptai Dam in BangladeshCountryBangladeshLocationKaptai Rangamati DistrictCoordinates22 29 42 N 92 13 30 E 22 49500 N 92 22500 E 22 49500 92 22500PurposePowerStatusOperationalConstruction began1957Opening date1962Dam and spillwaysType of damEmbankmentImpoundsKarnaphuli RiverHeight45 7 m 150 ft Length670 6 m 2 200 ft Width crest 7 6 m 25 ft Width base 45 7 m 150 ft Dam volume1 977 000 m3 69 800 000 cu ft Spillway typeControlled 16 gatesSpillway capacity16 000 m3 s 570 000 cu ft s ReservoirCreatesKaptai LakeTotal capacity6 477 000 000 m3 5 251 000 acre ft Catchment area11 000 km2 4 200 sq mi Surface area777 km2 300 sq mi Normal elevation33 m 108 ft Power StationCommission date1962 1982 1988Turbines2 x 40 MW 54 000 hp 3 x 50 MW 67 000 hp Kaplan typeInstalled capacity230 MW 310 000 hp Contents 1 History 2 Construction 3 Description 4 Social and Ecological effects 5 Notes 6 External linksHistory edit nbsp Kaptai dam being visited by president Ayub Khan A brief reconnaissance occurred in 1906 when the Karnafuli Hydropower Station was first contemplated A second study was carried out in 1923 In 1946 E A Moore recommended the proposed project at Barkal about 65 kilometers upstream of the present dam site at Kaptai In 1950 the Marz Rendal Vatten Consulting Engineers suggested a site at Chilardak about 45 kilometers upstream of Kaptai In 1951 the government engineers proposed Chitmoram 11 km 6 8 mi downstream of the present site Under the guidance of the chief engineer Irrigation Khwaja Azimuddin the construction site was chosen in 1951 Utah International Inc was selected as a construction contractor Construction of the dam started in 1957 and was completed in 1962 during the era of President Muhammad Ayub Khan Construction editStarting in 1957 the initial phase of the construction was completed in 1962 By this time the dam spillway penstock and two 40 MW Kaplan turbine generators were built in the power station In August 1982 a 50 MW generator was commissioned In October 1988 the fourth and fifth generating units both 50 MW Kaplan type turbines were installed which raised the total generation capacity to 230 MW 3 The total cost of Unit 1 Unit 2 and a part of Unit 3 was Rs 503 million and the total cost of extension was Tk 1 900 million The project was financed by the East Pakistan Government at the time the United States and the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund 3 1 Description edit nbsp Boat on Kaptai Lake The earthen dam is 670 m 2 200 ft long and 45 7 m 150 ft wide with a 16 gate spillway on the left side 1 The construction of the dam submerged 655 km2 253 sq mi area This included 220 km2 85 sq mi of cultivable land 40 percent of the cultivable land in the area and displaced 18 000 families and 100 000 tribal people of which 70 were Chakma The dam flooded the original Rangamati town and other structures 4 Social and Ecological effects editInhabitants of the storage reservoir area who lost their homes and farmland due to flooding were not compensated More than 40 000 Chakma tribals emigrated to Arunachal Pradesh 5 India 6 The scarcity of land is considered a main cause of the continuing conflict in the area 4 The building of the dam and reservoir also caused the destruction of wilderness and the loss of wildlife and wildlife habitats 1 Notes edit a b c d Bari M Fazlul 2012 Dam In Islam Sirajul Jamal Ahmed A eds Banglapedia National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh Second ed Asiatic Society of Bangladesh Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 11 November 2015 Saila Parveen I M Faisal 21 July 2010 People versus Power The Geopolitics of Kaptai Dam in Bangladesh International Journal of Water Resources Development 18 197 208 doi 10 1080 07900620220121756 S2CID 154589647 a b Power Plants PDF Bangladesh Power Development Board March 2010 Archived PDF from the original on 26 May 2012 Retrieved 15 March 2013 a b The construction of the Kaptai dam uproots the indigenous population 1957 1963 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Archived from the original on 27 September 2007 Retrieved 1 February 2007 Chakravarty Ipsita 50 years on Chakma refugees from Bangladesh are still denied citizenship rights in Arunachal Scroll in Archived from the original on 27 January 2019 Retrieved 27 January 2019 How Chakmas and Hajongs settled in North East why Arunachal worries about citizenship The Indian Express 20 September 2017 Archived from the original on 21 September 2017 Retrieved 21 September 2017 External links edit nbsp Bangladesh portal nbsp Water portal nbsp Renewable energy portal nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kaptai Dam Dams Caused Environmental Refugees of Ethnic Minorities Profile Embankment Dams Jum Cultivation and Environmental Degradation in CHT Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kaptai Dam amp oldid 1217262466, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
