Throughout the world, especially the developing world, dams and related water infrastructure projects continue to be planned, constructed and operated to meet human needs through energy generation, agricultural production and the supply of drinking water. For most countries, dams are a crucial part of economic and social development, and as such, they aim to achieve important socio-economic development objectives. Through their potential to alleviate poverty they can contribute significantly to the enhancement of human health.

Large number of dams have been constructed during the last six decades in India. The pace of construction of new dams has however dwindled as most of the techno-economically worth sites have been utilised. On the other hand the demand of water for agricultural, industrial and for drinking purposes is ever increasing. There is thus dire need to optimise the use of existing storages, avoid losses and develop and use modern techniques to maximise yield in as minimum amount of water as possible. Engineers and administrators are thus guided by the need to optimise the benefits from available resources. As a first step towards this objective, we consider health of reservoirs and dams as a crucial aspect and therefore, selected the issue of "Evaluation of Existing Dams and Action Plan for Restoration."