The Highest Dams and Largest Reservoirs

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The Highest Dams Worldwide

The highest dam in the world is the Shuangjiangkou Dam in China (map) on the Dadu River. Its maximum height is 315 metres. Several other very high dams are currently under construction, including the Rogun Dam in Tajikistan, which is designed to reach a height of 335 metres.

Name Height Dam type Location River
Shuangjiangkou 315 m Earth-core rockfill China Dadu
Jinping-I 305 m Concrete arch China Yalong
Lianghekou 303 m Earth-core rockfill China Yalong
Nurek 300 m Earthfill Tajikistan Vakhsh
Xiaowan 294.5 m Concrete arch China Lancang
Baihetan 289 m Concrete arch China Jinsha
Xiluodu 285.5 m Concrete arch China Jinsha
Grande Dixence 285 m Concrete gravity Switzerland Dixence
Yusufeli 275 m Double-curvature concrete arch Turkey Çoruh
Inguri 271.5 m Concrete arch Georgia Inguri
Wudongde 270 m Concrete arch China Jinsha
Vajont 262 m Concrete arch Italy Vajont
Nuozhadu 261.5 m Earth-core rockfill China Lancang
Manuel M. Torres 261 m Earth-and-rockfill Mexico Grijalva
Tehri 260.5 m Earth-and-rockfill India Bhagirathi
Mauvoisin 250 m Concrete arch Switzerland Dranse de Bagnes
Laxiwa 250 m Concrete arch China Yellow River
Deriner 249 m Double-curvature concrete arch Turkey Çoruh
Gilgel Gibe III 246 m Roller-compacted concrete gravity Ethiopia Omo
Alberto Lleras 243 m Rockfill Colombia Guavio
Mica 243 m Earthfill Canada Columbia

The Inguri Dam on the Inguri River in Georgia is 271.5 m high and is one of the tallest arch dams in the world. (Source: © bortnikau / stock.adobe.com)
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The concrete arch dam of the Inguri hydroelectric power plant is 271.5 m high. (Source: © bortnikau / stock.adobe.com)
The 285 m high Grande Dixence Dam in the Swiss Alps is the tallest gravity dam in the world. Its reservoir collects water largely from melting glaciers. (Source: © Silvia / stock.adobe.com)
Lake Nasser is one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the world. It extends from southern Egypt into northern Sudan and is approximately 500 km long. (Source: © Karel / stock.adobe.com)
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The Largest Reservoirs Worldwide

Reservoir River Location Year km3
Lake Kariba Zambezi Zambia/Zimbabwe 1959 180.6
Bratsk Reservoir Angara Russia 1964 169
Lake Volta Volta Ghana 1965 150
Manicouagan Reservoir Manicouagan Canada 1968 141.8
Guri Reservoir Caroní Venezuela 1986 135
Lake Nasser Nile Egypt/Sudan 1971 132
Williston Lake Peace Canada 1967 74.3
GERD Reservoir Blue Nile Ethiopia 2020 74
Krasnoyarsk Reservoir Yenisei Russia 1967 73.3
Zeya Reservoir Zeya Russia 1978 68.4
Robert-Bourassa La Grande Canada 1981 61.7

 

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