The world’s largest dams are engineering marvels that serve purposes like water storage, electricity generation, flood control, and irrigation. Below is a list of the top 10 largest dams based on their structural size or reservoir capacity:
1. Three Gorges Dam (China)
- Type: Concrete Gravity Dam
- River: Yangtze River
- Height: 181 meters (594 feet)
- Length: 2,335 meters (7,660 feet)
- Capacity: 22,500 MW (largest hydroelectric plant in the world)
2. Hoover Dam (USA)
- Type: Concrete Arch-Gravity Dam
- River: Colorado River
- Height: 221 meters (726 feet)
- Length: 379 meters (1,244 feet)
- Reservoir: Lake Mead (largest in the U.S.)
3. Tarbela Dam (Pakistan)
- Type: Earth-Filled Dam
- River: Indus River
- Height: 143 meters (469 feet)
- Length: 2,743 meters (9,000 feet)
- Reservoir Capacity: 11.62 billion cubic meters
4. Itaipu Dam (Brazil/Paraguay)
- Type: Concrete Gravity Dam
- River: Paraná River
- Height: 196 meters (643 feet)
- Length: 7,235 meters (23,737 feet)
- Capacity: 14,000 MW (formerly the largest hydroelectric plant)
5. Oroville Dam (USA)
- Type: Earth-Filled Embankment Dam
- River: Feather River
- Height: 230 meters (770 feet)
- Length: 2,110 meters (6,920 feet)
- Reservoir: Lake Oroville
6. Nurek Dam (Tajikistan)
- Type: Earth-Filled Dam
- River: Vakhsh River
- Height: 300 meters (984 feet)
- Length: 700 meters (2,297 feet)
- Reservoir Capacity: 10.5 billion cubic meters
7. Grand Coulee Dam (USA)
- Type: Concrete Gravity Dam
- River: Columbia River
- Height: 168 meters (550 feet)
- Length: 1,592 meters (5,223 feet)
- Capacity: 6,809 MW
8. Aswan High Dam (Egypt)
- Type: Embankment Dam
- River: Nile River
- Height: 111 meters (364 feet)
- Length: 3,830 meters (12,565 feet)
- Reservoir: Lake Nasser (largest artificial lake)
9. Guri Dam (Venezuela)
- Type: Concrete Gravity Dam
- River: Caroní River
- Height: 162 meters (531 feet)
- Length: 7,426 meters (24,367 feet)
- Capacity: 10,235 MW
10. Jinping-I Dam (China)
- Type: Arch Dam
- River: Yalong River
- Height: 305 meters (1,001 feet)
- Length: 568 meters (1,864 feet)
- Purpose: Hydropower generation
Conclusion
These massive dams not only showcase human ingenuity but also contribute significantly to economic development, energy production, and water management. Their scale and utility make them iconic landmarks around the world.
