Maharana Pratap Sagar
| Maharana Pratap Sagar | |
|---|---|
| Pong Dam Lake | |
The reservoir | |
| Location | Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh |
| Coordinates | 32°01′N 76°05′E / 32.017°N 76.083°E |
| Type | reservoir (low altitude) |
| Catchment area | 12,561 km2 (4,850 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | India |
| Max. length | 42 kilometres (26 mi) |
| Max. width | 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) |
| Surface area | 240 km2 (93 sq mi), and 450 km2 (174 sq mi) during floods |
| Max. depth | 97.84 m (321.0 ft) |
| Water volume | 8,570 million cubic metres (8.57 km3; 6.95×106 acre⋅ft) |
| Surface elevation | 436 m (1,430.4 ft) |
| Islands | Several |
| Settlements | Pong & Bharmar Shivothan |
| References | |
| Official name | Pong Dam Lake |
| Designated | 19 August 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1211 |
Maharana Pratap Sagar, also known as Pong Reservoir or Pong Dam Lake, is a large reservoir in Fatehpur, Jawali and Dehra tehsil of Kangra district of the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. It was created in 1975, by building the highest earthfill dam in India on the Beas River in the wetland zone of the Siwalik Hills. Named in the honour of Maharana Pratap (1540–1597), the reservoir or the lake is a well-known wildlife sanctuary and one of the 49 international wetland sites declared in India by the Ramsar Convention. The reservoir covers an area of 24,529 hectares (60,610 acres), and the wetlands portion is 15,662 hectares (38,700 acres).
The Pong Reservoir and Gobindsagar Reservoir are the two most important fishing reservoirs in the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh. These reservoirs are the leading sources of fish within the Himalayan states. Several towns and villages were submerged in the reservoir and many families were displaced as a result.