DAM-IN: Comprehensive Dam Catchment Attributes for Dam Safety Studies in India

The Indian subcontinent has around 5715 dams across different rivers, which play a pivotal role in the growth of various economic sectors in the country. In this study, we developed a dataset of catchment attributes for 5715 dams over the Indian subcontinent using observed, reanalysis, and remote sensing data. The comprehensive dam dataset consists of six major attributes, including topography, climate, geology and groundwater, soil, LULC, and human-induced activities. Using the 30-m SRTM data, we delineated the watershed for each dam using the automatic outlet relocation algorithm and estimated various topographic attributes for each catchment. We developed geological, soil, and LULC attributes for each dam catchment, considering existing global and regional datasets. We also included human-induced activities datasets for each dam catchment, which can be useful in studying the impact of human activities on dam safety and water resources. Overall, the comprehensive dam dataset consists of high-quality catchment attributes for each dam, which can be used to conduct various scientific studies, dam safety analyses, and impact studies on Indian dams.