Fifteen of the world’s highest dams. Photo

Miracles of engineering.

Throughout history, people have built dams for various reasons: to prevent floods, generate electricity or to provide a new water source. The first dams appeared in the middle East, then they were a small wall. Today, the dam is a huge structure that perform a number of tasks and the construction of which requires years. Today we will focus on the highest modern dams in the world.

1. Dam Glen Canyon

Named part of Glen canyon, a colorful series of gorges most of which now lies under the reservoir, the dam created the second largest artificial lake in the United States. Its elevation is 219 meters

2. The Contra Dam, Switzerland

Arch dam, contra, which is usually referred to as “Verzasca or Locarno dam”, located on the Verzasca river in Switzerland. She takes to the skies at 220 meters.

3. Hoover dam, Arizona

Formerly known as the boulder dam, concrete arch-gravity Hoover dam with a height of 221 meters was built in the Black Canyon of the Colorado river, on the border between Arizona and Nevada in the United States.

4. Dam Luzzone, Switzerland

Swiss 225-metre high dam became famous thanks to the world’s highest artificial climbing wall located on one of its sides.

5. Dam Karun-4, Iran

230-meter high arch dam on the Karun river in Iran was built for power generation and flood control.

6. Dam Shuibuya, China

Giant 233-metre-high dam Shuibuya was built not only to generate hydropower, but also to promote flood control. Also an artificial lake formed by her, used for navigation, tourism and fisheries.

7. Chirkeyskaya HPP, Russia

The dam on the Sulak river is the tallest arch dam in Russia – the height of 232.5 meters.

8. Oroville dam, California

This earthen embankment dam with a height of 230 meters on the Feather river in California is the highest in the United States.

9. The Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, Russia

Located on the Yenisei river near the Russian city of Sayanogorsk, this 242-foot tall dam is the largest power plant in the country and the sixth largest hydroelectric plant in the world.

10. Dam Deriner, Turkey

Named in honor of Ibrahim Deriner, its developer, who died directly at the construction site, the dam is located on the Chorokhi river, 5 kilometers East of the Turkish city Artvin. Its height is 249 meters.

11. Teri hydroelectric power station, India

Multifunctional stone and earthen dam, Tehri is the tallest dam in India. 261-meter dam was built on the river Bhagirathi near Tehri town.

12. Dam Vajont, Italy

In the North of Italy on the river Vajont is now abandoned dam height 261,6 meters. The dam was closed in 1963 after a massive landslide crashed into the reservoir, causing overflow of water of more than 50 million cubic meters and a layer of 150-250 meters across the edge of the dam. 90-metre shaft water swept through the valley at a speed of 12 meters per second, killing 2,000 people.

13. Inguri dam, Georgia

It is a hydroelectric dam on the Inguri river in Georgia is the second largest concrete arch dam in the world. Its height is 271,5 meters.

14. The Hydro Klezon-Dickens, Switzerland

A concrete gravity dam on the river Dickens in Switzerland rises 285 meters. It is the highest dam of its kind in the world.

15. Nurek, Tajikistan

This earthfill dam on the Vakhsh river in Tajikistan is currently the highest in the world — its height is as much as 300 meters.

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