Kodiveri Dam

Kodiveri Dam is a masonry dam located on the Bhavani river in Gobichettipalayam taluk, Erode district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The dam is situated along the State Highway 15 about 15 km from Gobichettipalayam towards Sathyamangalam in the western region of the state.

Etymology
The name ‘Kodiveri’ originated from ‘kodivari’ meaning tiger in Tamil. This might be due to the presence of the dam in a forest area where a number of tigers lived.

History
A channel was excavated at Kodiveri in 1125 AD by Kongalvan, who was a chieftain under the rule of Chola king Kulottunga I. The dam was constructed in the 17th century by Maharaja of Mysore using elephants and prisoners. It was carved out of a 20-foot wall of rock and the stones interlocked with iron bars with lead as mortar. These features, however, are not visible except in the dry season when the water level in the river drops considerably.

Hydrography
The dam is built on the Bhavani river. Two channels arise from the dam, Arrakkankottai on the northern side of Bhavani river and Thadapalli on the southern side. Lands north of Gobichettipalayam are irrigated by Thadapalli channel and cultivation of sugarcane and paddy are predominant in this area. The dam irrigates an area of 24504 acre.

Recreation
The dam is a popular tourist spot. The park, associated play area and coracle rides are the main attractions.