▁River . ▁It ▁is ▁located ▁at ▁Am ar av ath in agar , ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁U d um al pet ▁on ▁SH ▁ 1 7 ▁in ▁the ▁Ind ira ▁Gand hi ▁Wild life ▁San ctu ary , ▁Tir up ur ▁district ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁state ▁of ▁T amil ▁N adu . ▁The ▁associated ▁Am ar av ath i ▁Res er voir ▁ ▁is ▁ ▁in ▁area ▁and ▁ ▁deep . ▁The ▁dam ▁was ▁built ▁primarily ▁for ▁ir rig ation ▁and ▁flo od ▁control ▁and ▁now ▁also ▁has ▁four ▁meg aw att s ▁of ▁elect rical ▁generating ▁capacity ▁installed . ▁It ▁is ▁notable ▁for ▁the ▁significant ▁population ▁of ▁m ug ger ▁cro cod iles ▁living ▁in ▁its ▁res er voir ▁and ▁catch ment ▁bas in . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁dam ▁was ▁built ▁across ▁the ▁Am ar av ati ▁River ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁during ▁K ▁K amar aj ' s ▁administration , ▁ ▁about ▁ 2 5   km ▁up stream ▁and ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Th ir um o orth y ▁Dam . ▁ ▁Tour ism ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁well ▁laid - out ▁park ▁where ▁one ▁may ▁clim b ▁ste ep ▁steps ▁on ▁the ▁dam ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁pictures que ▁view ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁pla ins ▁below ▁and ▁south ▁to ▁the ▁Ana imal ai ▁Hills ▁and ▁Pal ni ▁Hills ▁above . ▁Bo ating ▁for ▁tour ists ▁in ▁the ▁dam ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Am ar av ath i ▁Res er voir