1. Kariba Dam
Zimbabwe Kariba Dam is the world’s biggest dam based on water storage capacity. Located at the former Kariwa (Kariba) Gorge, the dam creates Lake Kariba, which has a storage capacity of 185 billion cubic metres of water and a surface area of 5,580km2. The Lake Kariba covers a length of 280km and is 32km wide at its widest section.
2. Bratsk Dam, Russia
Bratsk Dam in Siberia, Russia, ranks as the second biggest dam in the world thanks to its 169.27 billion cubic metres reservoir. The dam impounds the Angara River and the reservoir created by it covers a surface area of 5,540km2. The concrete gravity dam is owned by Irkutskenergo and was constructed from 1954 to 1964 by Bratskgesstroy (formerly Nizhneangargesstroy management).
3. Akosombo Dam, Ghana
Akosombo dam, located in Ghana, is the third biggest dam based on water storage capacity. Constructed on the Volta River, the dam creates the 8,500km2 Lake Volta, which is the world’s biggest reservoir by surface area. The lake impounds a mammoth 144 billion cubic metres of water.
4. Daniel Johnson Dam, Canada
The Daniel Johnson Dam, also known as Manic 5 Dam, impounds the Manicouagan River that creates the Manicouagan Reservoir with a storage capacity of 139.8 billion cubic metres. The reservoir, having a surface area of 1,973km2, is the fourth biggest in the world.
5. Guri Dam, Venezuela
Guri, the world’s fifth biggest dam, has a storage capacity of 135 billion cubic metres and creates the Guri Lake covering 4,000km2. The concrete gravity and embankment dam measures 1,300m in length and 16m in height, and provides for 70% of the country’s electricity needs. It is operated by CVG Electrification del Caroni CA (Edelca).
