List of largest dams
Updated: 11/6/2025, 1:06:14 AM Wikipedia source
The following table lists the largest man-made dams by volume of fill/structure. A dam is generally defined as a barrier that impounds water or underground flows, so tailings dams are relegated to a separate list. Data on volume of structure is not as readily available or reliable as data on dam height and reservoir volume. Type: TE - Earth; ER - Rock-fill; PG - Concrete gravity
Tables
Tarbela Dam
Tarbela Dam
Rank
1
Name
Tarbela Dam
Country
Pakistan
Yearcompleted
1976
Structurevolume(106 m3)
153
Structureheight(m)
143
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
13.7
Installedcapacity(MW)
4,888
Type
TE/ER
Fort Peck Dam
Fort Peck Dam
Rank
2
Name
Fort Peck Dam
Country
United States
Yearcompleted
1940
Structurevolume(106 m3)
96
Structureheight(m)
76.4
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
23
Installedcapacity(MW)
185
Type
TE
Atatürk Dam
Atatürk Dam
Rank
3
Name
Atatürk Dam
Country
Turkey
Yearcompleted
1990
Structurevolume(106 m3)
84.5
Structureheight(m)
166
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
48.7
Installedcapacity(MW)
2,400
Type
TE/ER
Houtribdijk
Houtribdijk
Rank
4
Name
Houtribdijk
Country
Netherlands
Yearcompleted
1968
Structurevolume(106 m3)
78
Structureheight(m)
13
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
2
Installedcapacity(MW)
0
Type
TE/ER
Oahe Dam
Oahe Dam
Rank
5
Name
Oahe Dam
Country
United States
Yearcompleted
1963
Structurevolume(106 m3)
70.3
Structureheight(m)
75
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
29
Installedcapacity(MW)
786
Type
TE/ER
Mangla Dam
Mangla Dam
Rank
6
Name
Mangla Dam
Country
Pakistan
Yearcompleted
1967
Structurevolume(106 m3)
65.4
Structureheight(m)
147
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
7.25
Installedcapacity(MW)
1,000
Type
TE or TE/ER
Gardiner Dam
Gardiner Dam
Rank
7
Name
Gardiner Dam
Country
Canada
Yearcompleted
1967
Structurevolume(106 m3)
65.4
Structureheight(m)
64
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
9.4
Installedcapacity(MW)
186
Type
TE
Oroville Dam
Oroville Dam
Rank
8
Name
Oroville Dam
Country
United States
Yearcompleted
1968
Structurevolume(106 m3)
59.6
Structureheight(m)
230
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
4.36
Installedcapacity(MW)
819
Type
TE/ER
San Luis Dam (BF Sisk Dam)
San Luis Dam (BF Sisk Dam)
Rank
9
Name
San Luis Dam (BF Sisk Dam)
Country
United States
Yearcompleted
1967
Structurevolume(106 m3)
59.6
Structureheight(m)
93
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
2.52
Installedcapacity(MW)
424
Type
TE
Nurek Dam
Nurek Dam
Rank
10
Name
Nurek Dam
Country
Tajikistan
Yearcompleted
1980
Structurevolume(106 m3)
54
Structureheight(m)
300
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
10.5
Installedcapacity(MW)
3,200
Type
TE
Samara Dam
Samara Dam
Rank
11
Name
Samara Dam
Country
Russia
Yearcompleted
1955
Structurevolume(106 m3)
54
Structureheight(m)
52
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
57.3
Installedcapacity(MW)
2,315
Type
TE or ER
Garrison Dam
Garrison Dam
Rank
12
Name
Garrison Dam
Country
United States
Yearcompleted
1954
Structurevolume(106 m3)
50.8
Structureheight(m)
64
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
29
Installedcapacity(MW)
583.3
Type
TE
Cochiti Dam
Cochiti Dam
Rank
13
Name
Cochiti Dam
Country
United States
Yearcompleted
1975
Structurevolume(106 m3)
50.2
Structureheight(m)
76.5
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
0.73
Installedcapacity(MW)
NA
Type
TE
Aswan Dam
Aswan Dam
Rank
14
Name
Aswan Dam
Country
Egypt
Yearcompleted
1970
Structurevolume(106 m3)
44.3
Structureheight(m)
111
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
169
Installedcapacity(MW)
2,100
Type
TE/ER
W. A. C. Bennett Dam
W. A. C. Bennett Dam
Rank
15
Name
W. A. C. Bennett Dam
Country
Canada
Yearcompleted
1968
Structurevolume(106 m3)
43.7
Structureheight(m)
186
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
7.4
Installedcapacity(MW)
2,876
Type
TE
San Roque Dam
San Roque Dam
Rank
16
Name
San Roque Dam
Country
Philippines
Yearcompleted
2003
Structurevolume(106 m3)
40
Structureheight(m)
200
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
0.835
Installedcapacity(MW)
345
Type
TE or ER
Fort Randall Dam
Fort Randall Dam
Rank
17
Name
Fort Randall Dam
Country
United States
Yearcompleted
1953
Structurevolume(106 m3)
38.2
Structureheight(m)
50.3
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
6.7
Installedcapacity(MW)
320
Type
TE/ER
Afsluitdijk
Afsluitdijk
Rank
18
Name
Afsluitdijk
Country
Netherlands
Yearcompleted
1932
Structurevolume(106 m3)
36.5
Structureheight(m)
13
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
5.5
Installedcapacity(MW)
0
Type
TE/ER
Kölnbrein Dam
Kölnbrein Dam
Rank
19
Name
Kölnbrein Dam
Country
Austria
Yearcompleted
1979
Structurevolume(106 m3)
35.2
Structureheight(m)
200
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
0.2
Installedcapacity(MW)
1,028.5
Type
TE
Guri Dam
Guri Dam
Rank
20
Name
Guri Dam
Country
Venezuela
Yearcompleted
1978
Structurevolume(106 m3)
29.8
Structureheight(m)
162
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
135
Installedcapacity(MW)
10,235
Type
PG/ER
Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
Rank
21
Name
Three Gorges Dam
Country
China
Yearcompleted
2008
Structurevolume(106 m3)
27.4
Structureheight(m)
181
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
39.3
Installedcapacity(MW)
22,500
Type
PG
Indira Sagar Dam
Indira Sagar Dam
Rank
22
Name
Indira Sagar Dam
Country
India
Yearcompleted
2005
Structurevolume(106 m3)
12.2
Structureheight(m)
92
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
9.75
Installedcapacity(MW)
1,000
Type
PG
Kariba Dam
Kariba Dam
Rank
23
Name
Kariba Dam
Country
Zimbabwe
Yearcompleted
1960
Structurevolume(106 m3)
1
Structureheight(m)
128
Reservoirvolume(109 m3)
180
Installedcapacity(MW)
2000
Type
PG
| Rank | Name | Country | Yearcompleted | Structurevolume(106 m3) | Structureheight(m) | Reservoirvolume(109 m3) | Installedcapacity(MW) | Type |
| 1 | Tarbela Dam | Pakistan | 1976 | 153 | 143 | 13.7 | 4,888 | TE/ER |
| 2 | Fort Peck Dam | United States | 1940 | 96 | 76.4 | 23 | 185 | TE |
| 3 | Atatürk Dam | Turkey | 1990 | 84.5 | 166 | 48.7 | 2,400 | TE/ER |
| 4 | Houtribdijk | Netherlands | 1968 | 78 | 13 | 2 | 0 | TE/ER |
| 5 | Oahe Dam | United States | 1963 | 70.3 | 75 | 29 | 786 | TE/ER |
| 6 | Mangla Dam | Pakistan | 1967 | 65.4 | 147 | 7.25 | 1,000 | TE or TE/ER |
| 7 | Gardiner Dam | Canada | 1967 | 65.4 | 64 | 9.4 | 186 | TE |
| 8 | Oroville Dam | United States | 1968 | 59.6 | 230 | 4.36 | 819 | TE/ER |
| 9 | San Luis Dam (BF Sisk Dam) | United States | 1967 | 59.6 | 93 | 2.52 | 424 | TE |
| 10 | Nurek Dam | Tajikistan | 1980 | 54 | 300 | 10.5 | 3,200 | TE |
| 11 | Samara Dam | Russia | 1955 | 54 | 52 | 57.3 | 2,315 | TE or ER |
| 12 | Garrison Dam | United States | 1954 | 50.8 | 64 | 29 | 583.3 | TE |
| 13 | Cochiti Dam | United States | 1975 | 50.2 | 76.5 | 0.73 | NA | TE |
| 14 | Aswan Dam | Egypt | 1970 | 44.3 | 111 | 169 | 2,100 | TE/ER |
| 15 | W. A. C. Bennett Dam | Canada | 1968 | 43.7 | 186 | 7.4 | 2,876 | TE |
| 16 | San Roque Dam | Philippines | 2003 | 40 | 200 | 0.835 | 345 | TE or ER |
| 17 | Fort Randall Dam | United States | 1953 | 38.2 | 50.3 | 6.7 | 320 | TE/ER |
| 18 | Afsluitdijk | Netherlands | 1932 | 36.5 | 13 | 5.5 | 0 | TE/ER |
| 19 | Kölnbrein Dam | Austria | 1979 | 35.2 | 200 | 0.2 | 1,028.5 | TE |
| 20 | Guri Dam | Venezuela | 1978 | 29.8 | 162 | 135 | 10,235 | PG/ER |
| 21 | Three Gorges Dam | China | 2008 | 27.4 | 181 | 39.3 | 22,500 | PG |
| 22 | Indira Sagar Dam | India | 2005 | 12.2 | 92 | 9.75 | 1,000 | PG |
| 23 | Kariba Dam | Zimbabwe | 1960 | 1 | 128 | 180 | 2000 | PG |
· List of largest tailings dams
Syncrude Tailings Dam Mildred MLSB
Syncrude Tailings Dam Mildred MLSB
Rank
1
Name
Syncrude Tailings Dam Mildred MLSB
Country
Canada
Year completed
1995
Structure volume [106 m3]
540/720
Structure height [m]
88
Reservoir volume [109 m3]
0.35
Installed capacity [MW]
NA
Type
TE
Syncrude Tailings Dam#South West Sand Storage (SWSS)
Syncrude Tailings Dam#South West Sand Storage (SWSS)
Rank
2
Name
Syncrude Tailings Dam#South West Sand Storage (SWSS)
Country
Canada
Year completed
2010
Structure volume [106 m3]
119
Structure height [m]
40-50
Reservoir volume [109 m3]
0.25
Installed capacity [MW]
NA
Type
TE
ASARCO Mission Mine Tailings Dam
ASARCO Mission Mine Tailings Dam
Rank
3
Name
ASARCO Mission Mine Tailings Dam
Country
United States
Year completed
1972
Structure volume [106 m3]
40.1
Structure height [m]
30
Reservoir volume [109 m3]
0
Installed capacity [MW]
NA
Type
ER
| Rank | Name | Country | Year completed | Structure volume [106 m3] | Structure height [m] | Reservoir volume [109 m3] | Installed capacity [MW] | Type |
| 1 | Syncrude Tailings Dam Mildred MLSB | Canada | 1995 | 540/720 | 88 | 0.35 | NA | TE |
| 2 | Syncrude Tailings Dam#South West Sand Storage (SWSS) | Canada | 2010 | 119 | 40-50 | 0.25 | NA | TE |
| 3 | ASARCO Mission Mine Tailings Dam | United States | 1972 | 40.1 | 30 | 0 | NA | ER |
References
- "Tarbela Dam Project"https://web.archive.org/web/20150725152006/http://www.wapda.gov.pk/pdf/terbeladam.pdf
- "Archived copy"https://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/projdata/summaryengdat.pdf
- "Archived copy"https://web.archive.org/web/20110818154220/http://ipac.kacst.edu.sa/eDoc/2006/157250_1.pdf
- Estimate based on height, dimensions from Google Earth and, where available, cross section. Accuracy ±15%
- 700 km2 × 3 m
- "South Saskatchewan River Project|Fact Sheet"https://web.archive.org/web/20110706204127/http://www.swa.ca/Publications/Documents/FS-308.pdf
- "Embankment dams | Structurae"http://en.structurae.de/structures/stype/index.cfm?id=1073
- "San Roque Dam"https://web.archive.org/web/20150824233021/http://www.napocor.gov.ph/NPCDams/index.php/our-dams/san-roque-dam
- New Developments in Dam Engineeringhttps://books.google.com/books?id=Q7YL5MkwRmEC&dq=structure+volume+of+three+gorges+dam&pg=PA981
- D. Nicol (1994) "The Syncrude Mildred Lake Tailings Dyke Redesign", 18th Int. Congr. Large Dams.
- "Microsoft Word - Baseline Report on Fluid Deposits revE"https://web.archive.org/web/20110706175959/http://www.ercb.ca/docs/products/TailingsPlans/Syncrude_2010_BaselineReport.pdf
- Estimate based on structure volume and dimensions from Google Earth
- Zero reservoir size because full of tailings