Western Yamuna Canal

Western Yamuna Canal is canal in river Yamuna that was dug out and renovated in 1335 CE by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. In 1750 CE, excessive silting caused it to stop flowing. The British raj undertook a three-year renovation in 1817 by Captain GR Blane of the Bengal Engineer Group. In 1832-33 Tajewala Barrage dam at Yamunanagar was also built to regulate the flow of water, and later Pathrala barrage at Dadupur,Yamuna Nagar and Somb river dam downstream of canal were constructed in 1875-76. In 1889-95 the largest branch of the canal Sirsa branch was constructed. The modern Hathni Kund Barrage was built in 1999 to handle the problem of silting to replace the older Tajewala Barrage.^[2]

Once it passes Delhi, the yamuna river feeds the Agra Canal built in 1874, which starts from Okhla barrage beyond the Nizamuddin bridge, and the high land between the Khari-Nadi and the Yamuna and before joining the Banganga river about 32 kilometres (20 mi) below Agra. Thus, during the summer season, the stretch above Agra resembles a minor stream.^[3]