List of tallest dams in the world

This is a list of the tallest dams in the world over 135 m (443 ft) in height. Currently, the tallest dam in the world is the Nurek Dam, an embankment dam in Tajikistan at 300 m (984 ft) high. The tallest arch dam is the recently completed 292 m (958 ft) high Xiaowan Dam in China. For gravity dams, the tallest is the 285 m (935 ft) high Grande Dixence Dam in Switzerland. When completed, a 335 m (1,099 ft) tall Rogun Dam also in Tajikistan could be the tallest, depending on the chosen design. Next in line is the 312 m (1,024 ft) Shuangjiangkou Dam currently under construction in China. Natural landslide dams are also quite competitive in height but not listed here. In particular, the highest natural dam, Usoi Dam, is higher than the highest existing man-made one.

Contents

Existing

Name Height Type Country River
Nurek Dam 300 msm=n Earthen embankment  Tajikistan Vakhsh
Xiaowan Dam 292 msm=n Concrete arch  China Lancang
Grande Dixence Dam 285 msm=n Concrete gravity  Switzerland Dixence
Inguri Dam 271.5 msm=n Concrete arch  Georgia Inguri
Vajont Dam 261.6 msm=n Concrete arch  Italy Vajont
Manuel Moreno Torres (Chicoasén) Dam[1] 261 msm=n Earthen embankment  Mexico Grijalva
Tehri Dam 261 msm=n Earthen embankment  India Bhagirathi
Mauvoisin Dam[2] 250 msm=n Concrete arch  Switzerland Bagnes
Laxiwa Dam 250 msm=n Concrete arch  China Huang He
Alberto Lleras (Guavio) Dam 250 msm=n Embankment rock-fill  Colombia Guavio River
Mica Dam 243 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Canada Columbia
Sayano Shushenskaya Dam 242 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  Russia Yenisei River
Ertan Dam 240 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  China Yalong River
La Esmeralda Dam 237m Embankment, rock-fill  Colombia Bata
Oroville Dam 235 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  United States Feather River
El Cajón Dam 234 msm=n Concrete double-arch  Honduras Humuya River
Chirkey Dam[3] 232.5 msm=n Concrete arch  Russia Sulak River
Shuibuya Dam 233 msm=n Concrete-face rock-fill  China Qingjiang
Karun-4 Dam 230 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  Iran Karun
Bhakra Dam[3] 226 msm=n Concrete gravity  India Satluj
Luzzone Dam[3] 225 msm=n Concrete arch  Switzerland Lago di Luzzone
Hoover Dam 221.46 msm=n Concrete gravity arch  United States Colorado River
Contra Dam 220 msm=n Concrete arch  Switzerland Verzasca River
Mratinje Dam 220 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  Montenegro Piva
Dworshak Dam 218.6 msm=n Concrete gravity  United States Clearwater River
Glen Canyon Dam 216.4 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  United States Colorado
Longtan Dam 216.5 msm=n Roller-compacted concrete gravity  China Hongshui River
Toktogul Dam 215 msm=n Concrete gravity  Kyrgyzstan Naryn
Daniel-Johnson Dam 214 msm=n Concrete multiple-arch gravity  Canada Manicouagan River
Keban Dam 210 msm=n Earthen embankment  Turkey Euphrates River
Ermenek Dam 210m Concrete arch  Turkey Göksu
San Roque Dam 210 msm=n Embankment  Philippines Agno River
Karun-3 Dam 205 msm=n Concrete gravity arch  Iran Karun River
Zimapán Dam 203 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  Mexico Moctezuma River
Dez Dam 203 msm=n Concrete gravity arch  Iran Dez River
Almendra Dam 202 msm=n Concrete arch  Spain Tormes River
Campos Novos Dam 202 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  Brazil Canoas River
Berke Dam 201 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  Turkey Ceyhan River
Guangzhao Dam 200.5 msm=n Gravity  China Beipan River
Kölnbrein Dam 200 msm=n Concrete double-arch gravity  Austria Streams in upper Malta
Shahid Abbaspour Dam (Karun 1) 200m Double arch concrete  Iran Karun River
New Bullards Bar Dam 196.6 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  United States Yuba River
Itaipu Dam 196 msm=n Concrete gravity  Brazil /  Paraguay Paraná River
Altinkaya Dam[3] 195 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Turkey Kizil Irmak
Kárahnjúkastífla Dam 193 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  Iceland Jökulsá
New Melones Dam 190.5 msm=n Embankment, earth/rock-fill  United States Stanislaus River
W.A.C. Bennett Dam 190.5 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Canada Peace River
Miel 1 Dam 188 msm=n Roller compacted-concrete gravity  Colombia Miel River
Aguamilpa Dam 187 msm=n Embankment, concrete face rock-fill  Mexico Rio Grande de Santiago
Kurobe Dam 186 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  Japan Kurobe River
Pubugou Dam 186 msm=n Embankment, concrete face rock-fill  China Yalong River
Zillergründl Dam 186 msm=n Concrete arch  Austria Ziller
Sanbanxi Dam 185.6 msm=n Concrete face rock-fill  China Yuanshui River
Oymapinar Dam 185.5 msm=n Concrete arch  Turkey Manavgat River
Barra Grande Dam 185 msm=n Concrete face rock-fill  Brazil Pelotas River
Katse dam 185 msm=n Concrete double-arch  Lesotho Orange
Tekeze Dam 183 msm=n Concrete gravity  Ethiopia Tekeze River
Three Gorges Dam 181 msm=n Concrete gravity  China Yangtze River
Mossyrock Dam 184.7 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  United States Cowlitz River
Atatürk Dam 184/169 msm=n Earthen embankment  Turkey Euphrates River
Shasta Dam 183.5 msm=n Concrete gravity arch  United States Sacramento River
Techi Dam (Deji, Tachian)[3] 181 msm=n Concrete gravity-arch  Taiwan Dajia (Tachia)
Tignes[3] 180 msm=n Concrete gravity-arch  France Lac du Chevril
Dartmouth Dam 180 msm=n Earthen embankment  Australia Mitta Mitta River
Emosson Dam 180 msm=n Concrete arch  Switzerland Barberini
Amir Kabir Dam 180 msm=n Concrete arch  Iran Karaj
Piedra del Águila Dam 180 msm=n Concrete gravity  Argentina Rio Limay
Hongjiadu Dam 179.5 msm=n Concrete-face rock-fill  China Liuchong River
Longyangxia Dam 178 msm=n Concrete gravity-arch  China Huang He
Tianshengqiao Dam 178 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  China Nanpan River
El Cajón 178 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  Mexico Rio Grande de Santiago
New Don Pedro Dam 178 msm=n Earthen embankment  United States Tuolumne River
Takase Dam 176 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Japan Shinano
Nader Shah 175 msm=n Concrete gravity  Iran Marun River
Hasan Ugurlu Dam[3] 175 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Turkey Yesilirmak
Karakaya Dam 173m Concrete arch gravity  Turkey Euphrates
Alpe Gera Dam[4] 174 msm=n Concrete gravity  Italy Cormor
Revelstoke Dam 174 msm=n Concrete gravity  Canada Columbia River
Thissavros 172 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Greece Nestos
Hungry Horse Dam 171.9 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  United States Flathead River
Cahora Bassa Dam 171 msm=n Concrete, arch gravity  Mozambique Zambezi River
Denis-Perron Dam[5] 171 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Canada Sainte-Marguerite River
Paute Dam 170 msm=n Concrete, arch-gravity  Ecuador Paute River
Idukki Dam 168 msm=n Concrete arch  India Periyar
Bruno Creek Tailings Dam 168 msm=n Embankment, center-line tailings  United States Bruno Creek
Charvak Dam[3] 168 msm=n Embankment, earth/rock-fill  Uzbekistan Chirchik
Gura Apei 168 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Romania Raul Mare
Seven Oaks Dam 168 msm=n Earthen embankment, rock-fill  United States Santa Ana River
Dongfeng Dam 168 msm=n Concrete arch  China Wu
Grand Coulee Dam 167.6 msm=n Concrete gravity  United States Columbia River
Vidraru Dam 166 msm=n Concrete arch  Romania Arges
Marun Dam 165 msm=n Embankment  Iran Marun River
Kremasta Dam 165 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Greece Achelous River
Thomson Dam 165 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Australia Thomson River
Wujiangdu Dam 165 msm=n Arch-gravity  China Wujiang River
Trinity Dam 164 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  United States Trinity River
Masjed-Soleyman 164m Rock-fill clay-core  Iran Karun
Guri Dam 162 msm=n Concrete gravity  Venezuela Río Caroní
Talbingo Dam 162 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Australia Tumut River
Huites Dam 162m Concrete gravity arch  Mexico Fuerte
Robert-Bourassa Dam[6] 162m Embankment earth-fill  Canada La Grande River
Tankeng Dam 162 msm=n Concrete face rock-fill  China Ou River
Tokuyama Dam 161 msm=n Embankment  Japan Ibi River
Foz do Areia Dam 160 msm=n Embankment, concrete face rock-fill  Brazil Iguaçu
Grand'Maison 160 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  France Eau d'Olle
Jinanqiao Dam 160 msm=n Concrete gravity  China Jinsha River
Los Leones Dam 160 msm=n Earthen embankment  Chile Los Leones
Ranjit Sagar Dam 160 msm=n Embankment  India Ravi River
Ross Dam 160 msm=n Concrete thin arch  United States Skagit River
Yellowtail Dam 160 msm=n Concrete arch-gravity  United States Bighorn River
Pai Querê Dam 158 msm=n Concrete-face rock-fill  Brazil Pelotas River
Cougar Dam 158 msm=n Rock-fill embankment dam  United States McKenzie River
Emborcação Dam 158 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Brazil Rio Paranaíba
Naramata Dam 158 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Japan Naramata
Geheyan Dam 157 msm=n Concrete arch  China Qingjiang River
Dongjiang Dam 157 msm=n Concrete arch  China Lishui River
Jilintai I Dam 157 msm=n Concrete-face rock-fill  China Kashi River
Okutadami Dam 157 msm=n Concrete gravity  Japan Tadami River
Speccheri Dam 157 msm=n Concrete arch  Italy Vallarsa
Malutang Dam 156 msm=n Concrete-face rock-fill  China Panlong River
Miyagase Dam 156 msm=n Concrete gravity  Japan Nakatsu River
Nukui Dam 156 msm=n Concrete arch  Japan Takayama
Swift Dam 156 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  United States Lewis River
Urayama 156m Roller compacted concrete  Japan Arakawa River
Zeuzier Dam 156 msm=n Concrete arch  Switzerland Lienne
Zipingpu Dam 156 msm=n Embankment  China Min River
Tepco Upper Azumi Dam 155.5m Concrete arch  Japan Azumi
Sakuma Dam 155.5 msm=n Concrete gravity  Japan Tenryū River
Bashan Dam 155 msm=n Concrete-face rock-fill  China Renhe
Lijiaxia Dam 155 msm=n Concrete gravity-arch  China Huang He
Göscheneralp Dam 155 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Switzerland Göschenerreuss
Place Moulin Dam 155 msm=n Concrete arch  Italy Buthier
Kenyir Dam 155 msm=n Embankment  Malaysia Kenyir
Ralco Dam 155 msm=n Roller-compacted concrete gravity  Chile Biobío River
Turkwel Dam 155 msm=n Concrete arch  Kenya Turkwel
Bhumibol Dam 154 msm=n Concrete arch  Thailand Ping
Serra da Mesa Dam 154 msm=n Embankment  Brazil Tocantins
Xiaolangdi Dam 154 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  China Huang He
Malutang Dam 154 msm=n Concrete gravity  China Panlong Jiang
Gepatsch Dam 153 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Austria Faggenbach, Inn River
Curnera Dam 153 msm=n Concrete arch  Switzerland Curnera
Monteynard-Avignonet Dam 153 msm=n Concrete arch  France Drac
Santa Giustina 153 msm=n Concrete arch  Italy Noce
Tedorigawa Dam 153 msm=n Embankment  Japan Tedori
Flaming Gorge Dam 153 msm=n Concrete thin-arch  United States Green River
Alqueva Dam 152 msm=n Concrete gravity-arch  Portugal Guadiana
Torul Dam 152msm=n Rockfill  Turkey Harşit River
Fierza Dam (Fierze) 152 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Albania Drin River
Menzelet Dam 151 msm=n Embankment  Turkey Ceyhan River
Zervreila Dam 151 msm=n Concrete arch  Switzerland River Rhine
Porce III Dam 151 msm=n Concrete face/Rock fill  Colombia Porce
Fontana Dam 150m Concrete gravity  United States Little Tennessee River
Barrage de Roselend 150 msm=n Concrete gravity-arch-buttress  France Roselend
Canelles Dam 150 msm=n Concrete arch  Spain Noguera Ribagorzana
Dongjing Dam 150 msm=n Concrete-face rock-fill  China Beipan River
Baishan Dam 149.5 msm=n Concrete gravity-arch  China Second Songhua River
El Infiernillo Dam 149 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  Mexico Balsas
Moiry Dam 148m Concrete arch  Switzerland Gougra
Salvajina Dam 148msm=n Rock filled  Colombia Rio Cauca
Gigerwald 147m Concrete arch  Switzerland Tamina
Longshou II Dam 146.5 m Concrete-face rock-fill  China Heihe River
Belisario Domínguez (Angostura) Dam 146 msm=n Embankment  Mexico Grijalva
Limmern Dam 146m Concrete arch  Switzerland Limmernsee
Hassan I Dam 145 m Embankment, earth-fill  Morocco Lakhdar River
Mohale Dam 145 m Concrete-face rock-fill  Lesotho Sequnyane River
Srisailam Dam 145 msm=n Concrete gravity  India Krishna
Tagokura Dam 145 m Concrete gravity  Japan Tadami
Ney Braga 145m Concrete face rock-fill embankment  Brazil Iguazu River
Vacha Dam 144.5 m Concrete  Bulgaria Vacha
Adiguzel Dam 144m Earthen embankment rock fill  Turkey Buyuk Menderes
Özlüce Dam 144m Rockfill  Turkey Peri River
Morrow Point Dam 143 m Concrete, double-curve arch  United States Gunnison River
Tarbela Dam 143 m Embankment  Pakistan Indus River
Oddatjørn Dam 142 m Embankment  Norway Ulladalsåna
Warragamba Dam 142 m Concrete  Australia Warragamba River
Valle di Lei Dam 141m Concrete arch  Switzerland Graubunden
Aldeadávila Dam 140 m Concrete arch-gravity  Spain/ Portugal Douro River
Gordon Dam 140 m Concrete arch  Australia Gordon River
Xingó Dam 140 m Concrete face rock-fill  Brazil São Francisco River
Bath County PS Upper Dam 140m Earth and rock fill  United States Back Creek
Chamera Dam 140m Concrete  India Ravi
Arimine Dam 140m Concrete gravity  Japan Wada River
Mangla Dam 138 m Embankment  Pakistan Jehlum River
Malpaso Dam 137.5 msm=n Embankment  Mexico Grijalva River
Çine Dam 136.5m RCC gravity  Turkey Çine
Sardar Sarovar Dam 136.5m Concrete gravity  India Narmada
Caracoles Dam 136m Concrete  Argentina San Juan
Cancano Dam 136m Concrete arch gravity  Italy Adda
Minamiaiki Dam 136m Rock fill embankment  Japan Minamiaiki
Cabril Dam 136 m Concrete arch  Portugal Zêzere
Carters Dam 136 m Earthen embankment  United States Coosawattee River
Sauris 136m Concrete arch double  Italy Lumiei
Mosul Dam 135 m Earthen embankment  Iraq Tigris River
Alicura Dam 135m Rockfill  Argentina Limay River

Under construction

Name Height Type Country River
Rogun Dam 335 mAsm=n Embankment, earth and rock-fill  Tajikistan Vakhsh
Shuangjiangkou Dam 312 msm=n Embankment, rock-fill  China Dadu
Jinping I Dam 305 msm=n Concrete arch  China Yalong Jiang
Lianghekou Dam 295 msm=n Embankment  China Yalong, Qingda and Xianshui River confluence
Xiluodu Dam 273 msm=n Concrete arch  China Jinsha Jiang
Nuozhadu Dam 261 msm=n Embankment  China Lancang River
Kambaratinsk Dam 275 msm=n Embankment  Kyrgyzstan Naryn
Deriner Dam 249 msm=n Concrete arch  Turkey Çoruh River
Changheba Dam 240 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  China Dadu River
Gilgel Gibe III Dam 240 msm=n Roller compacted concrete gravity  Ethiopia Omo River
Goupitan dam 232.5 msm=n Concrete double-arch  China Wu Jiang River
TaSang Dam 228 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  Myanmar Salween River
Houziyan Dam 223.5m concrete-face rock-fill  China Dadu River
Jiangpinghe Dam 221m Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  China Loushui River
La Yesca Dam 220m Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  Mexico Rio Grande de Santiago
Antamina Tailings Dam 215m Concrete face,rock fill  Peru Ayash River
Dagangshan Dam 210m Arch  China Dadu River
Bakun Dam 204 msm=n Earthen embankment  Malaysia Rajang River
Khudoni Dam 200 msm=n Concrete double-arch gravity  Georgia Enguri River
Jatigede Dam 200 msm=n Embankment  Indonesia Cimanuk River
Boyabat Dam 195 msm=n Concrete arch  Turkey Kizil Irmak
Sogamoso Dam 190m Concrete face,gravel fill  Colombia Sogamoso
Seimare Dam 180m Arch, variable-radius  Iran Seimare
Upper Gotvand Dam 180m Embankment, rock-fill  Iran Karun
Sykia Dam[7] 170 msm=n Embankment, earth-fill  Greece Achelous River
Guandi Dam 168 msm=n Gravity  China Yalong River
Kığı Dam 168 msm=n Earthen embankment, rock-fill  Turkey Peri River
Koldam Dam 167 msm=n Earthen embankment, rock-fill  India Sutlej
Mazar Dam[3] 165 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  Ecuador Mazar River
Xiangjiaba Dam 161 msm=n Concrete gravity  China Jinsha Jiang River
Guanyinyan Dam 159 msm=n Gravity  China Jinsha River
Messochora Dam[7] 150 msm=n Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill  Greece Achelous River
Maoergai Dam 147m Embankment, rock-fill  China Heishui River
Ludila Dam 140 msm=n Concrete Gravity  China Jinsha River
Bureya Dam 139m Concrete gravity  Russia Bureya
Ahai Dam 138 msm=n Gravity  China Jinsha River
Ilisu Dam 135 m Earthen embankment, clay core  Turkey Tigris River

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Manuel Moreno Torres". Freebase. http://www.freebase.com/view/en/manuel_moreno_torres. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  2. ^ "Mauvoisin Dam". Planetware. http://www.planetware.com/great-st-bernard/mauvoisin-dam-ch-vs-mauv.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i **hydropowerstation.com**"World's Highest Dams". Infoplease. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0113468.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  4. ^ Non-conventional concrete dams on rock foundations. Taylor & Francis. 1997. pp. 82. ISBN 9054102527. http://books.google.com/books?id=smuDXjgiI_YC&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=Alpe+Gera+Dam&source=bl&ots=9xrTNQ_qUj&sig=WJ7-ieUJgG8yRi14ATCmw20ZaUg&hl=en&ei=FTkkTeWEMtH4ccr5-OgB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CFEQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Alpe%20Gera%20Dam&f=false. 
  5. ^ Hydro-Québec (June 1999) (in French) (PDF). Aménagement hydroélectrique de la Sainte-Marguerite-3 : En accord avec le milieu. Montreal: Hydro-Québec. p. 5. ISBN 2-550-34771-0. http://web.archive.org/web/20001001034324/http://www.hydroquebec.com/sm3/documentation/pdf/SM3_bulletin_f.pdf. Retrieved July 10, 2011. 
  6. ^ Société d'énergie de la Baie James (1987) (in French). Le complexe hydroélectrique de La Grande Rivière. Réalisation de la première phase. Montreal: Société d'énergie de la Baie James/Éditions de la Chenelière. p. 470. ISBN 2-89310-010-4. 
  7. ^ a b "Greek Large Dams". Greek Commission on Large Dams. http://www.eemf.gr/index.files/LargeGr.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 
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