Top 10 Largest Dams in the World 2023

Top 10 Largest Dams in the World: Do you have any idea about which is the largest dam in the world? Before that, do you know what dams actually are? In this article, we are going to talk about these dams, their importance and later, we will tell you about the top 10 dams of the world.

These are human-made structures that are built to change, obstruct the flow of water, store them and use them for various purposes. They actually act as water reservoirs. We all are aware of how important dams are for the development of any Nation. One of the main purposes is the production of electricity produced by the turbines which run because of the rapid flow of water from these dams. They are also important for farmers as they provide water for irrigation facilities and various other activities.

One disadvantage associated with these dams is that when they are constructed, it results in a huge loss of flora and fauna as they require a very large area for construction and the whole area is submerged. People residing in those areas also have to be moved and it causes a lot of problems for them while shifting. Many environmental activists and local people often protest against the building of these dams. However, we cannot deny the importance of these dams.

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Now, let us shift our focus on the main topic of the top 10 dams in the world.

There are numerous dams in every country of the world. The Jinping-I Dam with its height measuring 305 metres, is the highest dam in the world while Parker is the deepest dam in the world. Hirakud Dam which is located in India is the oldest longest dam in the world.

Here, we are going to mention the 10 biggest dams as per their water storing capability.

List of 10 Largest Dams in the World

Kariba

This Dam which is located in Zimbabwe, with its capacity of holding 185 billion cubic metres of water is the largest in the world in terms of holding water. Its construction took place between 1955 to 1959 and it is 128 metres in height and is spread over an area of 5,580 square kilometres. This dam is capable of producing 1470 MW of energy.

Bratsk

This is the second-largest dam with its capability of storing 169.27 billion metre cube of water in its reservoir. It is located in Russia and is spread over an area of 5,540 square kilometres. It was built over a period of 10 years from 1954 to 1964 and is 1,452 metres long and its height measures 125 metres. It is the main source of providing hydroelectricity to the country.

Akosombo

It is located in Ghana and has a capacity of storing 144 billion metre cube of water which makes it the third-largest dam in the world when we talk about storage capacity. It is built over the Volta river and is 134 metres high and 700 metres long. It was built over a span of five years from 1961 to 1966. Apart from providing hydroelectricity, it is also the main centre for fisheries.

Daniel Johnson

It comes in fourth place with its capacity of storing 139.8 billion metre cube of water. It is located in Canada and covers an area of around 1,973 square kilometres. With its height measuring 213 metres, it is one of the highest dams in the world. It is around 1300m in length and has a capacity of producing 2660 MW of energy.

Guri

This Dam which is located in Venezuela can store 135 billion metre cube of water and is one of the deepest dams in the world. It took a long period to build this (from 1963 to 1986). This 1300 metres long dam is very important for hydroelectricity generation and around 70% of the needs of the country are fulfilled by this Dam which is capable of producing 10,000 MW of energy.

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Aswan High Dam

It can store about 132 billion metre cube of water and is the sixth-largest one in the world. It is located in Egypt and was constructed between 1960 to 1968. It can provide 2100 MW of energy and this multipurpose dam is helpful in preventing floods and meeting the irrigational needs. It is one of the deepest dams in the world and is 111-metres high and about 3,800 metres long.

W.A.C Bennett

This Dam which is located in Canada has a capacity of storing 74 billion metre cube of water and it is built over the Peace River. It is spread over an area of 1,773 kilometres and is 183m in height. With its length measuring 2068m, it is capable of providing 2790 MW of energy. This Dam was constructed over a period of six years, from 1961 to 1967.

Krasnoyarsk

With its capability of storing 73.3 billion metre cube of water, this Dam which is situated in Russia comes at the eighth place in our list of top ten dams in the world. It was built over a period of 1956 to 1972 and is 1,065 metres long along with its significant height which is about 124 metres.

Zeya

This is another Dam which is located in Russia and can store around 68 billion metre cube of water. This dam with a height of 112m and length measuring 714m is spread over an area of about 2400 square kilometres. It has power plants which can provide about 1290 MW of energy which makes it very important for the country.

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Robert Bourassa

It can store about 61.7 cubic metres of water and is located in Canada. This dam is about 160 metres in height and is spread over 17,600 square kilometres of area. It was constructed between 1974 to 1981 and has two power plants installed in it. With a length of 2,835m, this dam is capable of providing 5616 MW of energy.

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Originally posted 2021-11-09 06:22:19.