Neyyar dam is a gravity dam on the Neyyar River in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, South India, located on the foot of the Western Ghats about 30 km from Thiruvananthapuram. It was established in 1958 and is a popular picnic spot.

History

Neyyar 2nd State (relates to both Madras and Kerala States) Government of Kerala started work on the project in their area in October 1956.

Design

The Neyyar Dam is a rubble masonry gravity-type dam with a height of 56 m and length of 295 m. Its structural volume is 105000 m3. The dam creates a reservoir of 106200000 m3 of which 101000000 m3 is active (useful) capacity. The reservoir's surface area is 91 km2 and the dam's spillway has an 809.40 m3/s maximum discharge capacity. One of the contractors who built the Neyyar Dam was Mr Jagathy Chellappan Contractor of Jagathy, Trivandrum.

Wildlife

Wild life includes Gaur, Sloth bear, Nilgiri Tahr, Jungle cat, Nilgiri langur, Wild elephants and Sambar deer.

Activities

Neyyar Dam is home to the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwanthari Ashram where people can take courses in yoga and practice meditation. The trees that are growing inside the ashram are large due to care by the people. Tourists can hire a speed boat for Rs 250 per head to view the surrounding forests. A crocodile farm was set up in 1977. It also includes a habitat for otters near the administrative complex. The Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre in Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary was named initially by the Kerala government after the late naturalist Steve Irwin as Steve Irwin National Park.

Attractions

Transport

The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, 38 km away, and the nearest railway station is at Thiruvananthapuram, 30 km away.