Massanjore Dam

Massanjore Dam crosses the Mayurakshi River in Dumka district. It rises 155 feet from its foundations and runs about 2,170 feet, holding back a reservoir that spreads over 16,650 acres with a capacity of some 500,000 acre-feet. Built with Canadian assistance, it was opened by Lester B. Pearson, then Canada's foreign minister, and so is also called the Canada Dam or Pearson Dam.

The dam supplies water for irrigation, generates hydroelectric power, and serves industry and households. Its most important task is taming the Mayurakshi in the monsoon, storing floodwater and releasing it slowly, which protects areas downstream and lets farmers grow crops through the year. Villages were moved to make room for the reservoir, and the resettled communities now hold their festivals and fairs near the dam. Visitors come for boating, fishing, picnics and walks with views of hills and forest, and snack stalls line the dam.