Largest Dam in the World

The largest dam in the world is The Kariba dam which is a hydroelectric dam situated between Zambia and Zimbabwe. There are many Dam across the world which give a natural view of nature. The Kariba dam is not only the art of engineering but also a symbol of unity. Kariba Dam manages the flow of the Zambezi River, that controls floods in the rainy season. As this Dam is completed in 1959.

In this article, We know the unforgotten story of Kariba Dam, exploring its key features, construction and major dams in India and world.

Top 5 Largest Dam In The World

Here are the top 5 largest water dam in the world.

Top 5 Largest Dam In The World
Dam Name	Location
Kariba Dam	Zambia
Rogun Dam	Tajikistan
Syncrude Tailings Dam	Canada
Three Gorges Dam	China
Itaipu Dam	Brazil and Paraguay

Largest Dam In The World – Overview

Here is the overview of Largest Dam In The World as mentioned below.

Features	Information
Location	Zambia-Zimbabwe border
River	Zambezi River
Completion of this dam	1959
Height	128 meters (420 feet)
Length	579 meters (1,900 feet)
Reservoir	Lake Kariba
Surface Area	Approximately 5,580 square kilometers
Capacity	Approximately 180 cubic kilometers
Purpose	Hydroelectric power generation, irrigation

Kariba Dam

The Kariba Dam is located on the Zambezi River, which is at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The construction of this dam was began in 1955 and completed till 1959. It was mentioned as the largest construction project in the world. Kariba reservoir has approximately 280 kilometers in length. This hydro plant has a capacity to generate 1,626 megawatts (MW). This project construction was in the hand of two company which are Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) from Zimbabwe and the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) from Zambia. This dam has their major contribution to flow the electricity in both countries. This dam also leads to economic development of countries. As construction on this dam required a large workforce, this leads to social and environmental impacts. Kariba Dam is a famous tourist spot, attracting tourists with its natural beauty. This dam is also major source for irrigation and agriculture. This dam has a major role in water management in the Zambezi River basin. The Kariba Dam is important for water infrastructure in southern Africa.

Key Features

• It is primarily built for hydroelectric power generation.
• It is an arch dam, characterized by its arch structure.
• It forms Lake Kariba which is the one of the largest artificial lakes in the world.
• Lake Kariba supports fishery, including species such as tilapia and tigerfish.
• It had initially an installed capacity of 750 megawatts, after it expanded to 1,626 megawatts.
• It is originally equipped with six Francis turbines, each with a capacity of 125 megawatts.
• It provides significant hydroelectric power for Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• It is built primarily using concrete and masonry.
• The dam and Lake Kariba are popular tourist area.
• It helps in the use of Zambezi River water for irrigation, industry, and urban areas.

Construction Challenges

There was many construction challenges which was come during this development:

1. Remote Location: The dam was constructed in a remote area with limited infrastructure that makes transportation hard.

2. Geological Conditions: There are many seismic activity in the region due to this many rock are fractured. This need a special construction techniques were required to ensure the stability of the dam.

3. Construction Materials: Many construction materials such as concrete and steel is a major challenge due to the remote location.

4. Hydrological Challenges: The Zambezi River is a big question during rainy season. Engineer had to design the dam to control the water level and maintain hydraulic pressure.

5. Labour and Safety: This construction needs a large workforce where we need skilled engineers and labour also.

6. Political and Social Factors: As this dam need close cooperation between both countries as this project is spanned between Zambia and Zimbabwe. This need a planning to manage all these.

What is the Dam?

Dams have a beautiful shaped landscapes that control water resources and helps in human development for centuries. These structures play a crucial role in controlling water supply, controlling floods, and generating many source of energy with water. These structures are built across rivers and streams to control water and create reservoirs. The earliest Dam is built around 3,000 BCE which is the Jawa Dam situated in Jordan. In ancient times, many civilization built dams for agriculture purpose. Now a days, Dams are made to flood control, water supply, hydropower generation and recreation. Dam is a important factor to generate electricity from water. A group of member forms a commission throughout the world in 1998 that aimed to provide guidelines for future generation.

Types of Dams

Dams are categorized based on various factors including their structure, construction materials, and primary functions. Let’s see different types of dam.

1. Hydroelectric Dams:

These Dams can generate electricity by converting kinetic energy into electrical energy with the help of turbines which can generally rotate and provide electricity. These dams can generally stored potential energy which can further converted into mechanical energy. Also These dams are a major energy source of power generation through water. Using of water for power generation can reduce the use of fossil fuels that enhanced the green house gases. The turbines in these plant can rotate and generate electricity.

2. Arch Dams:

They are differentiated by their curved shape, which helps to distribute the force of water. The special arch shape allows these dams to control the horizontal force of water, that minimize the amount of material required for construction. They are mainly made of concrete. The height of these dams can be measured from its bottom to the top of the dam. These dams are generally constructed through three ways which are In-situ concrete construction, precast concrete elements, or a combination of both

3. Gravity Dams:

These dams are built using concrete or masonry which rely on their own weight to resist the horizontal force of water. They require a stable foundation which is composed of solid bedrock or stable soil that support the weight of the structure. They prevents water from flowing over the top of the dam. These dams are used for water storage, flood control, and irrigation system etc.

4. Embankment dams:

They are also known as earth dams. There structures are built using rock, or other fill materials to control the flow of water. It requires a fixed and strong base to give support of weight of the structure. These are made up of many layers With fill materials allowing each layer to settle before adding the next.

Major Dams in India

Here are some major dams of India as mentioned below:

Name	River	Place
Tehri Dam	Bhagirathi River	Uttarakhand
Bhakra Dam	Sutlej River	Himachal Pradesh
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam	Krishna River	Telangana
Sardar Sarovar Dam	Narmada River	Gujarat
Hirakud Dam	Mahanadi River	Odisha
Indira Sagar Dam	Narmada River	Madhya Pradesh
Bhavanisagar Dam	Bhavani River	Tamil Nadu

Major Dams in World

Here are some major dams present all over the world as mentioned below:

Name	River	Place
Kariba Dam	Zambia/Zimbabwe	Zambezi River
Three Gorges Dam	China	Yangtze River
Itaipu Dam	Brazil/Paraguay	Parana River
Grand Coulee Dam	United States	Columbia River
Aswan High Dam	Egypt	Nile River
Ataturk Dam	Turkey	Euphrates River
Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam	Russia	Yenisei River

Conclusion

The kariba dam is the largest dam in the world in terms of reservoir capacity. This dam is a symbol of relationship between two countries which are Zambia and Zimbabwe. This dam creates a beautiful Lake in the Zambezi River, which is one of the largest artificial lake. The kariba dam gives electricity in the area of Zambia and Zimbabwe. As many constructing challenges was come. This lead to the resettlement of communities, environmental effects on local ecosystem. It plays an major role on controlling the flow of the Zambezi River and also providing water for irrigation and industry. It also supporting fishery and tourism industry. It highlights the need for sustainable management practices.

Read More:

List of all Dams of India

List of Largest Dams in India

How many Dams and Rivers are there in India?

Importance of Dam, Types and Most Important Dams of India

FAQs – Largest Dam In The World

Where is the biggest water dam in the world?

The Kariba Dam is considered to be the largest in the world which is situated in Zambia based on the reservoir capacity.

Which is the largest water dam in India?

The Bhakra Nangal Dam is situated in the state of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab which is having a height of 225 meters.

Which is the biggest dam in Asia?

The Three Gorges Dam is generally considered as the largest dam in Asia which is located in China.

Which is the world’s longest dam?

The longest dam in the world is Hirakud Dam.

Which is the 2nd world longest dam?

The second longest dam is the Lake Volta Dam in the world, located in Ghana, West Africa.

Which is the smallest dam in India?

The smallest dam is Cheruthoni Dam, built upon the Periyar River.