Tourist places › Dam & Reservoir
Linganamakki Dam
The 1964 dam that decides how much water reaches Jog Falls
Linganamakki Dam was built across the Sharavati in 1964 near Kargal village, and at roughly 151–156 thousand million cubic feet, its reservoir is the largest in Karnataka by storage capacity. The dam and the Sharavathi Valley hydroelectric project it feeds account for a substantial share of the state's hydropower output.
Because the Sharavati is dammed here before it reaches Jog Falls, how full the falls look on any given day owes as much to Linganamakki's gate operations as to rainfall — water has occasionally been released specifically to make the falls more photogenic for a visiting dignitary, which has drawn its share of local criticism. The reservoir's creation also submerged around 175 villages across Sagara and Hosanagara taluks in the 1960s, displacing an estimated 12,000 people.
Highlights
- Built in 1964 across the Sharavati River, 2.74 km long
- Karnataka's largest reservoir by storage — around 151–156 tmc ft
- Water released here directly affects the flow over Jog Falls downstream
Getting there
Buses on the Thirthahalli to Sagara route reach Sagara; Linganamakki/Kargal is a further local trip from there, often combined with a Jog Falls visit.