Ten largest dams in the world

The following are some of the largest dams in
the world as measured by sheer volume. While
they’re not all necessarily in the “top 10″ in
terms of size, they’re certainly sights worth
visiting.
10. SRISAILAM DAM – INDIA
Image Credit: Hari_Menon
Located on the Krishna River, the Srisailam Dam
was constructed in the Nallamala Hills in a gorge
that sits approximately 300 meters above sea
level. The dam was is one of the 12 largest in
the country in terms of hydroelectric power
production but was specifically built in order to
provide irrigation for the districts of Kurnool and
Cuddapah – both of which are prone to severe
droughts.
9. NAGARJUNA SAGAR – INDIA
Image Credit:.krish.Tipirneni.
The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam can be found in the
Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh in India.
Considered one of the largest ever built in Asia,
this dam was completed in 1966 and features
26 individual crest gates. As far as construction
is concerned, this dam is the tallest in the world
to be made strictly from masonry and its
creation resulted in the third largest man-made
lake on the globe. The dam and its canals are
incredibly important to the ability to irrigate
nearby land.
8. VERZASCA DAM – SWITZERLAND
Image Credit: Sint Smeding
The Verzasca Dam, also known as the Contra
dam, was built between 1960 and 1965 in Val
Verzasca, Switzerland. The dam was built by
Verzasca SA, a company that generates
electricity on the site and will continue to do so
until at least 2046. The Lago di Vogorno
reservoir is artificial, created by the dam itself,
and has been responsible for causing
earthquakes during times when it is filled.
7. ATATURK DAM – TURKEY
Image Credit: Kel Patolog
Completed in 1990, the Ataturk Dam in Turkey is
a rock-fill dam found on the Euphrates River.
Originally named the Karababa Dam, the site
was later renamed in order to honor the founder
of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The dam is responsible for irrigating the regions
plains as well as for generating electricity.
6. MANGLA DAM – PAKISTAN

[Youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6yXbJ3NYrAU]

The twelfth largest dam in the world was built in
1967 and was funded in part by the World Bank.
The Mangla Dam came into creation thanks to
the 1960 signing of the Indus Waters Treaty in
which rights to the waters contained in the Ravi,
Beas, and Suglej rivers were given to Pakistan.
Before the dam was built Pakistan’s irrigation
system relied solely on the flow of the Indus
River – most of which was completely
unregulated.
5. TARBELA – PAKISTAN

[Youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ysyL-gQKOOg]

Completed back in 1976, the Tarbela Dam, also
known as Torabela or Pashto, is considered to
be the largest dam ever constructed on
Pakistan’s Indus River. While it’s not the largest
dam in the world overall, it is the largest dam
filled naturally by the earth. The dam stores
water in order to not only control flooding but
for use in irrigation and the production of hydro-
electric energy as well.
4. FORT PECK – UNITED STATES
Image Credit: Jvstin
The Fort Peck Dam in northeast Montana is one
of six dams found on the Missouri River.
Construction of this dam began in 1933 as part
of the New Deal put forth by President Franklin
D. Roosevelt and enabled over 11,000 workers
to have gainful employment during the course
of construction. The dam, which is solely
responsible for the formation of Fort Peck Lake,
is used to control flooding and generate power.
3. ASWAN DAM – EGYPT
Image Credit: upyernoz
The Aswan Dam is actually a pair of dams – the
Aswan High Dam and the Aswan Low Dam. In
ancient times it was known that the River Nile
would flood each summer as the waters flowed
down from East Africa. As the population along
the river grew it became necessary to find a way
to control flooding in this area. Now the land is
still fertile enough for farming and the people no
longer have to worry about drought but the
fields aren’t in danger of being wiped out due to
flooding, either.
2. SYNCRUDE TAILINGS – CANADA
Located near Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada,
the Syncrude Tailings Dam is approximately
540,000,000 meters in volume. The dam is
currently maintained by a company known as
Syncrude Canada Ltd – a company responsible
for oil extraction in the Athabasca Oil Sands. The
dam serves as a barrage used to store tailings –
or leftover slimes and residues – that appear as
byproducts of the oil extraction operation.
1. THREE GORGES – CHINA
Image Credit: jasmin0916
The Three Gorges Dam in China is projected to
be the absolute largest in the world. Expected to
hold over 39,300,000,000 in volume, the
reservoir is complete but the actual dam itself
will not be completed until later this year. The
construction of this dam had a huge impact on
life in Sandouping, resulting not only in the
relocation of dozens of villages but in the
scenery as well. Because of the height of the
Three Gorges Dam the mountains now look a bit
lower than they actually are.
These dams are not only amongst the largest,
but are considered some of the most functional,
beautiful, and aesthetically pleasing in the world.
Don’t hesitate to visit one if you’re ever in the
area. Seeing one of the enormous dams in
person will prove to be an absolutely
breathtaking experience.

Posted in: Dam construction