Dams have made significant contributions to their respective countries by providing renewable energy, facilitating irrigation for agriculture, and managing water resources.
Here are the top five biggest dams in the world:
- The Three Gorges Dam
- Itaipu Dam
- Xiluodu Dam
- Guri Dam
- The Atatürk Dam
- Three Gorges Dam (China): The Three Gorges Dam is the largest dam in the world in terms of storage capacity. Located on the Yangtze River in China, it has a capacity of 39.3 billion cubic meters. It is also the world’s largest power station, generating a significant amount of hydroelectric power.
- Itaipu Dam (Brazil/Paraguay): The Itaipu Dam, situated on the Paraná River between Brazil and Paraguay, is the second-largest dam in terms of storage capacity. It has a capacity of 29.7 billion cubic meters. Itaipu Dam is a major source of hydroelectric power and plays a vital role in meeting the energy demands of both countries.
- Xiluodu Dam (China): The Xiluodu Dam, also located on the Yangtze River in China, is the third-largest dam in terms of storage capacity. It has a capacity of 12.67 billion cubic meters. Like the Three Gorges Dam, it is a significant contributor to China’s hydroelectric power generation.
- Guri Dam (Venezuela): The Guri Dam, situated on the Caroni River in Venezuela, is the fourth-largest dam in terms of storage capacity. It has a capacity of 10.2 billion cubic meters. The Guri Dam plays a crucial role in hydroelectric power generation and supplies a significant portion of Venezuela’s electricity.
- Atatürk Dam (Turkey): The Atatürk Dam, located on the Euphrates River in Turkey, is the fifth-largest dam in terms of storage capacity. It has a capacity of 8.55 billion cubic meters. The dam serves multiple purposes, including irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric power generation.
Other biggest dams are:
- Tucuruí Dam (Brazil): Situated on the Tocantins River, it is the one of the largest dam and an important hydroelectric power plant in Brazil.
- Grand Coulee Dam (United States): Located on the Columbia River, it is the largest dam in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world.
- Longtan Dam (China): Situated on the Hongshui River, it is the seventh-largest dam globally and one of the largest in China.
- Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam (Russia): Located on the Yenisei River, it is the eighth-largest dam and the largest hydroelectric power plant in Russia.
- Krasnoyarsk Dam (Russia): Situated on the Yenisei River, it is the ninth-largest dam and a significant source of hydroelectric power in Russia.
- Robert-Bourassa Dam (Canada): Located on the La Grande River in Quebec, it is the tenth-largest dam and one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in Canada.
Please note that the rankings and capacities might have changed since then, as new dams may have been constructed or existing ones expanded.
