Man has long tried to build dams for many reasons: to prevent floods, to supply water or to generate electricity. A few thousand years ago in the Middle East, people began to build small dam "walls", and today dams are huge and powerful structures that perform a variety of tasks, and it takes years to build them. What do the current 25 tallest dams in the world look like?
1. Toktogul reservoir
This dam is both a hydroelectric power station and a source of irrigation. It is located on the Naryn River in the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan. Height 215 meters.
2. Longtan HPP
The Longtan HPP is a compact concrete dam on the Hongshuihe River in China. Its height is 216.5 meters.
3. Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon is a very picturesque series of gorges that are now used as reservoirs. The Glen Canyon Dam created the second largest artificial lake in the United States.
4. Dam Dvorshak
The Dworshak Dam (219 m) is the third tallest dam in the United States and the tallest strictly vertical concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere.
5. Contra Dam, Switzerland
This dam (actually a hydroelectric power plant) is also known as the Verzasca dam or the Locarno dam. Contra itself is an arched dam over the Swiss Verzasca River.
6. Hoover Dam, Arizona
It was once called the Boulder Dam. Today, the Hoover Dam is a concrete man-made marvel of architecture located in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River on the border between the states of Arizona and Nevada.
7. Luzzone Dam, Switzerland
The height of this dam is 225 meters, and it is also known for its highest artificial climbing wall in the world, located on one of its sides.
8. Bhakra Dam, India
This concrete gravity dam on the Sutlej River is located near the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border in northern India.
9. Karun-4 Dam, Iran
The Iranians have built a very powerful arch dam on the Karun River, the task of which is to supply electricity and control floods.
10. Shuibuya Dam, China
It works not only as a hydroelectric power plant, but also as a flood prevention facility, it is also used for navigation, tourism and fishing. Its height is 233 meters.
11. Chirkeyskaya HPP, Russia
This dam is built on the Sulak River. It is the highest Russian arch dam (232.5 m).
12. El Cajon Dam, Honduras
El Cajon is a hydroelectric power station in the west of Honduras. The official name of this facility sounds like the Francisco Morazan Central Hydroelectric Power Plant.
13. Oroville Dam, California, USA
This earthfill dam (230 m) is located on the Feather River in California. It is the highest in the USA.
14. Ertan Dam, China
The Ertan arch dam (240 m) is located on the Yalong River, a tributary of the Yangtze (Sichuan Province, southwest China).
15. Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, Russia
The dam was built on the Yenisei River near the Russian city of Sayanogorsk. It is the largest hydroelectric power station in Russia and the sixth largest hydroelectric power station in the world.
16. Meek Dam, Canada
This dam is located at a height of 243 meters on the Columbia River. Geographically, it is 135 km north of the Canadian city of Revelstoke.
17. Deriner Dam, Türkiye
This building is named after the research engineer Ibrahim Deriner. The dam is located on the Chorokh River, 5 km east of the Turkish city of Artvin.
18. Laxiva Dam, China
The Laxiva arch dam (250 m) is located on the Huanghe River in Qinghai Province (northwest China).
19. Mauvoisin Dam, Switzerland
The Mauvoisin dam looks picturesque against the backdrop of Mont Blanc de Cheilon. By the way, thanks to this dam, Lake Mauvoisin appeared in the Swiss Alps.
20. Teri Dam, India
The rock-fill dam of multifunctional use (261 m) was built on the Bhagirati River near the city of Teri, the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
21. Vaiont Dam, Italy
It is located north of Venice and is now not in use. In 1963, an accident at the dam led to the death of 2,000 people.
22. HPP Enguri, Georgia
The hydroelectric power station is located on the Inguri River in Georgia. It is the second tallest concrete arch dam in the world.
23. Grand Dixens Dam, Switzerland
This concrete gravity dam (285 m) on the Dixens River in Switzerland is the highest in the world.
24. Dam (HPP) Xiaowan, China
The main purpose of the Xiaowan Arch Dam on the Mekong River in China is to generate electricity.
25. Dam (HPP) Nurek, Tajikistan
Nurek is the world's highest earthfill dam built on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan. Its height is 300 meters.
Throughout history, people have built dams for a variety of reasons, whether it's to prevent floods, generate electricity, or acquire a source of water. Humans first began building dams in the Middle East thousands of years ago as small walls, but today dams are so huge electrical power plants with so many functions that they take years to build. Therefore, whether you recognize the influence of these architectural marvels on your life or not, we present to your attention the twenty-five tallest dams in the world.
This dam, built to provide hydroelectric power and irrigation capability, on the Naryn River in the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan is the lowest on our list at 215 meters high.
24. Longtan Dam
The Longtan Hydropower Plant is a huge gravity dam built of roller-compacted concrete located on the Hongshui River in China. Its height is 216.5 meters.
23. Glen Canyon Dam 
Named after Glen Canyon, a series of colorful gorges most of which are now under the reservoir, this dam created the second largest man-made lake in the United States.
22. Dvorshak Dam
At 219 meters high, Dworshak Dam is the third tallest in the US and the tallest straight concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere.
21. Contra Dam, Switzerland
Cotra Dam, also known as Verzasca Dam or Locarno Dam, is an arch dam located on the Verzasca River in Switzerland.
20. Hoover Dam, Arizona
The Hoover Dam, once called the Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch gravity dam located in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the states of Arizona and Nevada.
19. Luzzone Dam, Switzerland
This dam, on the slope of which is the world's highest artificial climbing wall, reaches a height of 225 meters.
18. Bhakra Dam, India
It is a concrete gravity dam located on the Sutlej River near the border between the states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in northern India.
17. Dam Karun-4 (Karun-4 Dam), Iran
This arched concrete dam on the Karun River in Iran was built primarily to generate electricity and prevent flooding.
16. Shuibuya Dam, China
The height of the Shuibuya dam, built not only to generate electricity, but also to prevent floods, navigation, tourism and fishing, is 233 meters.
15. Chirkey hydroelectric power plant, Russia
This arch concrete dam on the Sulak River is the tallest arch dam in Russia at 232.5 meters.
14. El Cajón Dam, Honduras
This dam, officially known as the Francisco Morazán Central Hydroelectric Power Plant (Central Hidroeléctrica Francisco Morazán), is a hydroelectric power plant located in the west of Honduras.
13. Oroville Dam, California
At 230 meters, this earthfill dam on the Feather River in California is the tallest in the United States.
12. Ertan Dam, China
This 240-meter arch dam is located on the Yalong River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, in the Sichuan Province of southwest China.
11. Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power plant named after P. S. Neporozhny, Russia
This dam, located on the Yenisei River near Sayanogorsk in Russia, is the largest hydroelectric power plant in the country and the eighth largest hydroelectric power plant in the world.
10. Mica Dam, Canada
This 243 meter dam is located on the Columbia River, 135 kilometers north of Revelstoke, Canada.
9. Deriner Dam, Türkiye
This dam, named after İbrahim Deriner, who died while serving as the chief engineer of his research team, is located on the Çoruh River, 5 kilometers east of Artvin, Turkey.
8. Laxiwa Dam, China
The Laxiva Dam is a 250-meter arch dam located on the Yellow River in Qinghai Province, northwest China.
7. Mauvoisin Dam, Switzerland
The Mauvoisin Dam, with Mont Blanc de Cheilon in the background, creates Lake Mauvoisin in the Swiss Alps.
6Tehri Dam, India
This multifunctional rockfill dam on the Bhagirathi River near the city of Teri in the state of Uttarakhand, India reaches a height of 261 meters.
5. Vajont Dam, Italy 
This is an unused dam in northern Venice, Italy. In 1963, a landslide caused the dam to overflow, killing 2,000 people.
4. Enguri Hydroelectric Power Plant, Georgia
This hydroelectric power plant on the Enguri River in Georgia is the second tallest concrete arch dam in the world.
3. Grande Dixence Dam, Switzerland
At 285 meters high, this concrete gravity dam on the Dixens River in Switzerland is the tallest of its kind in the world.
2. Xiaowan Dam, China
The main purpose of the arched
Throughout history, man has built dams for various reasons: to prevent floods, to generate electricity, or to provide himself with a new source of water. Dams first appeared in the Middle East, then they were small walls. Today, dams are huge structures that perform a variety of tasks and take years to build. Today we will talk about the highest modern dams in the world.
1. Glen Canyon Dam
Named for part of Glen Canyon, a colorful series of gorges most of which are now under a reservoir, the dam created the second largest man-made lake in the United States. Its height is 219 meters
2. Contra Dam, Switzerland
The Contra Arch Dam, commonly referred to as "Verzasca" or "Locarno Dam", is located on the Verzasca River in Switzerland. It soars into the sky at 220 meters.
3. Hoover Dam, Arizona
Formerly known as the Boulder Dam, the 221-meter-high concrete Hoover Arch Gravity Dam was built in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the states of Arizona and Nevada in the United States.
4. Luzzone Dam, Switzerland
The Swiss 225-meter dam has become famous thanks to the world's highest artificial climbing wall, located on one of its sides.
5. Karun-4 Dam, Iran
The 230-meter arch dam on the Karun River in Iran was built to generate electricity and control floods.
6. Shuibuya Dam, China
The gigantic 233-meter Shuibuya dam was built not only to create a hydroelectric power plant, but also to help fight floods. Also, the artificial lake formed by it serves for navigation, tourism and fishing.
7. Chirkeyskaya HPP, Russia
The dam on the Sulak River is the highest arch dam in Russia - its height is 232.5 meters.
8. Oroville Dam, California
The earth embankment of this 230-meter high dam on the Feather River in California is the highest in the United States.
9. Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, Russia
Located on the Yenisei River, near the Russian city of Sayanogorsk, this 242-meter high dam is the largest power plant in the country and the sixth largest hydroelectric plant in the world.
10. Deriner Dam, Türkiye
Named after Ibrahim Deriner, its developer, who died right at the construction site, the dam is located on the Chorokh River, 5 kilometers east of the Turkish city of Artvin. Its height is 249 meters.
11. Teri HPP, India
The Teri multifunctional earth and rock dam is the highest dam in India. A 261-meter dam was erected on the Bhagirathi River near the city of Tehri.
12. Vaiont Dam, Italy
In northern Italy, on the Vaiont River, there is a now abandoned dam 261.6 meters high. The dam was closed in 1963 after a huge landslide collapsed into the reservoir, causing over 50 million cubic meters of water to overflow and a layer of 150-250 meters over the dam's edge. A 90-meter shaft of water swept through the valley at a speed of 12 meters per second, killing 2,000 people.
13. Enguri HPP, Georgia
You can read more about the dam, which is considered the largest hydroelectric power station on Earth, in one of our previous reviews. China spent about 50 billion dollars on its construction!Why did people build dams? In some cases, a dam is a protection against floods, in others it is the generation of electrical energy, and in others it is a necessary structure for water supply. The first small dams appeared in the Middle East several millennia ago, but today dams are nothing more than a powerful structure, striking in its size and performing a number of tasks. The construction of one such giant takes more than one year. Today we will find out what it looks like and where is the highest dam in the world?
The first place in terms of height of all currently existing dams is assigned to the Jinping-1 hydroelectric power station, located in the People's Republic of China. The dam with a height of 305 meters is even included in the collection of world records. The Chinese managed to build a dam as high as the Eiffel Tower. Almost 5 million cubic meters of concrete were used to build this giant structure with a length of 569 meters.
The dam is located in the province with quite extensive territories of Sichuan, not far from the mouth of the river called Yalongjiang. The name of the dam and hydroelectric power plant comes from the name of the bend in the river. On Yalongjiang, flowing in a deep gorge, it is planned to build a whole cascade of hydroelectric power stations.
The construction of the dam and the hydroelectric power station itself began in 2005, and they were put into use in 2012. The HPP project appeared back in the 60s of the twentieth century, but it began to be implemented more than 40 years later. Construction began only after 7,500 residents were relocated to other areas.
The hydroelectric project involved the construction of 6 power units, generating about 16.6 billion kWh of electrical energy every year. In reality, only 2 power units are operating, with a capacity of 600,000 kW / h.
Such a height of the dam is due to the need for electrical energy, in addition, a 300-meter dam is designed to protect the lower reaches of the river from possible floods and prevent soil erosion. In the place where the dam is built, earthquakes periodically occur, so the dam is earthquake-resistant.
The dam of the Nurek hydroelectric power station with a height of 304 meters deservedly takes the second place. The construction of the dam began in the days of the Soviet Union, but today the completed construction of an impressive size symbolizes the former power of a great power.
There is a hydroelectric power plant on the Mekong River, which flows through several countries. It is the largest of all hydroelectric power stations operating on the river.
At the beginning of 2002, the construction of a hydroelectric power station began, after 2.5 years the river was blocked, and in 2009 the first unit was launched. The construction of the dam was completed in 2010, but it was planned to launch the last unit only in 2013.
The Xiaowan hydroelectric power plant consists of a 292-meter-high arched dam, an underground building with six 700 MW units, and tunnel spillways. According to the project, the station's capacity is 4.2 thousand MW, and the average annual electricity generation is 19 billion kWh.
The dam is built with a sufficiently "thick" profile, which is able to withstand magnitude 8 earthquakes. There are several tiers of weirs in the body of the dam.
The length of the underground building of the hydroelectric power station reaches almost 300 meters. Water enters each hydroelectric unit through a 9-meter-diameter conduit, and is discharged through two tunnels. In addition, there are also tunnels provided for the discharge of water.
The height of the dam of the Chinese hydroelectric power plant, located on the Jinsha River, is 285 and a half meters. The dam is located near the village of Xilodu, Zhaotong City. Silodu Hydropower Plant is the core of the Jinsha Waste Water Management Project, whose main objectives are to generate electricity and reduce silt in the water.
Over 8 years of construction of the hydroelectric power plant, 11.2 billion dollars were spent. Silodu HPP is the third largest hydroelectric power plant on the planet. The operation of a hydroelectric power station is based on the conversion of the kinetic energy possessed by falling water into mechanical energy. With the help of a generator, mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy.
The highest gravity dam is Grand Dixens. Meltwater flows to the dam from 35 Valesian glaciers. The construction of the dam began in 1951 and was completed in 1965. A huge structure with a base thickness of 200 m, a length of 695 m and a height of 285 m, is open to the public, and some hiking trails even begin from it. The construction of the dam required 6 million cubic meters of concrete.
The list of the highest dams included the 272-meter Enguri dam, which deserves the attention of travelers, located on the territory of Georgia. The construction of the dam began more than half a century ago, and the first launch of the hydroelectric power station was carried out in 1977.
Together with the underground power plant, the dam forms a hydrotechnical complex, which is located on the Eristskali River. The dam itself is closed to the public, but many tourists seek to admire the local mountain landscapes and they were given this opportunity by building a special observation deck from which both the dam and the mountains surrounding it are visible.
The dam, located 100 km from Venice, called Vaiont, is an arched concrete structure 261.6 meters high. Plans to build a dam appeared as early as the 1920s, but the war prevented their implementation. Construction work began only in 1957, but a few years later the process was stopped due to a crack that appeared in the mountain. To ensure the normal operation of the dam, they began to build a special gallery along the bottom, after the completion of construction work, the reservoir began to be filled with water.
The base of the dam consists of dolomite and limestone, flood waters are discharged through a special weir with 10 holes. Since 2002, the dam has been open to tourists, as it is not in operation today, although it remained firmly in place after the disaster, which eroded the upper edge of the dam.
The 250-meter dam is located in Switzerland. The reservoir held back by the dam is very similar to a real azure lake, beckoning with crystal clear water.
The dam called Deriner, located on the river called Chorokh, is the highest dam that is located in Turkey. The construction of the 249-meter dam began in 1998, and was filled with water only in 2012. The construction of this building took about two billion dollars.
The dam with a height of 245 meters is located on the territory of the Russian Federation, on the Yenisei River. It took 32 years to build this giant. By the way, in addition to one of the highest, it is also considered one of the most powerful. In 2009, a man-made accident occurred at the hydroelectric power plant, which resulted in the death of 75 people and the flooding of almost all hydroelectric units.
Man has always tried to protect himself from the elements, and with the flourishing of civilization, mankind decided to subdue the power of nature and use it for their own purposes. Today we will talk about the most grandiose hydroelectric power plants, the value of which is comparable to the state significance. We will find out which is the highest dam in the world. Below is the top 6 largest dams on Earth.
I place - HPP Jinping-1 in China
Today it is the highest man-made dam in the world. Its height reaches a value of 305 m, and its length is 568 m. The Jinping-1 HPP was put into operation in 2014 and immediately got into the Guinness Book of Records due to its impressive size. The construction of the dam began in 2005, and after 7 years the first hydraulic engine was launched at the station. By 2015, the last, sixth unit was introduced. What distinguishes the hydraulic motors at the Chinese hydroelectric power station from other powerful stations in the world is the power of the units. If the current power units operate at a capacity of 300 thousand kW, then here we are talking about 600 thousand kW. It is also one of the most powerful dams in the world. The dam is located in Sichuan province near the mouth of the Yalong River.
II place - Nurek HPP in Tajikistan
The design of the dam was started in 1950, and only 11 years later its construction was launched. It was completed only in 1972, at the same time its gradual commissioning was carried out: the first block of the unit was launched in the same year, and the last - 7 years later. Thus, by 1979, the HPP was operating at full capacity, providing 75% of electricity costs. About 11 billion kWh of electricity is generated annually from this hydroelectric power station. Water at the hydroelectric power station is not only used to generate electricity, but is also directed through tunnels to irrigate agricultural land.
Until 2013, it was the highest dam in the world, it reaches a height of 70 km in length. It holds a volume of water of 10 km 3 , an area of 98 km 2 , has 9 powerful generators. A dam is located on the Vakhsh River near the city of Nurek.
III place - Xiaowan HPP in China
This is the highest arch dam in the world, reaching a height of 292 m. It is located on 7 hydroelectric power plants under construction in China, but this is the largest among them. By construction standards, the dam was built very quickly: the construction of the building began in 2002, and after 7 years the first engine was put into operation, in March 2010 the construction was fully completed. In 2013, the last engine was put into operation. The dam is equipped with 6 powerful hydraulic units. The average annual value of electricity generation is 19 billion kWh.
The arch dam was built taking into account the resistance to seismic vibrations up to 8 points on the Richter scale, it has a "thick" profile layer from which it is built. The underground building under the hydroelectric power station has an impressive size - about 300 m in length.
IV place - Grand Dixens in Switzerland
This is the highest hydroelectric power plant in Europe and the 3rd largest in the world. The dam is located on the Dixens River, after which it got its name. The concrete structure reaches a height of 285 m, a length of 695 m, and a width of 200 m. The reservoir holds a volume of water of 0.4 km 3, and the tunnel that communicates with the lake reaches 100 km.
The construction of this dam took place between 1951 and 1965. Grand Dixens receives melt water from more than 30 Valesian glaciers - this is a truly powerful structure. Excursion programs for tourists have been created on the dam, from where hiking and mountain routes are conducted.
V place - in Georgia
The Inguri hydroelectric power station is a Caucasian dam located at the source of the Inguri and Eristskali rivers, near the city of Jvari. This is one of the highest hydroelectric dams in the world, reaching a height of 272 m and a length of 278 m. It has 7 spillways with a diameter of 6 m for idle water discharge. The HPP building has 5 hydraulic motors that generate about 4.4 billion kWh of electricity per year.
Due to the fact that the Inguri hydroelectric power station includes a transitional hydroelectric power station leading to the Eristskali River, which belonged to Abkhazia, cooperation between the two countries is necessary here. Thus, the Enguri hydropower complex consists of the construction of the Georgian hydroelectric power station (dam, reservoir and part of the tunnel) and the Abkhazian part of the tunnel and the construction of the hydroelectric power station. For this reason, in 1992, an agreement was reached between these countries on the distribution of electrical energy to both states (60% for Georgia and 40% for Abkhazia).
VI place - Vaiont Dam in Italy
This is another of the highest dams in the world, built in northern Italy, on the Vaiont River. The height of the structure is 261.6 m, and the length is 190 m. This dam has a unique structure that differs from the others: a conical shape, narrowed downwards and expanding upwards. At the base, the width reaches only 23 m, and the width along the ridge is even less - only 4 m. It is also the most "elegant" dam in the world.
On October 9, 1963, a terrible catastrophe occurred on the Italian dam, claiming the lives of, according to some sources, from 2,000 to 3,000 people. Due to incessant heavy rains that day, a landslide occurred on the bank of the Vayont River with an area of 2 km 2, and rocks literally overflowed the reservoir bowl. A 90 m high water cascade hit all foothill areas at a speed of 8-12 m/s. It took the elements only 7 minutes to claim the lives of thousands of people and destroy several dozen structures.
Today, as on the day of its opening in 1959, the Italian Vaiont dam looks as flawless, without any traces of a terrible event half a century ago.
In 2001, a film of the same name about this incident was released, and many fans of the film visit this place as a tribute to those who died on that terrible day.
