There are many amazing structural feats around the world and each one has its unique engineering designs. But the type of structure that always leaves us enthralled is dams. Their gigantic structure, dimension, and colossal capacity tend to fascinate anyone who comes across such structures. It would appear a bit like standing before a calm, reassuring giant staring at you in all its full glory. Dams are some of the most intricately designed structures in the world.
What is the definition of a dam? ding Text Here
A barrier or structure over a stream, river, or waterway to confine and then prevent the flow of water is known as a Dam. Dams vary in size depending on their purposes such as small earth embankments, farm use, and high massive concrete structures that are generally used for water supply, hydropower, and irrigation. These structures are important for delivering energy and water management to people around the world.
What are some innovative dams?
Dams are exceptional structures and some of them stand out as the symbol of truly outstanding works of engineering.
For example, some of the notable dams in the world according to Guinness World Records-
- Tallest Dam in the World : Jinping-1 Dam in Sichuan, China. It is 1,000 feet (305 mt) tall, in fact, taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
- Smallest Dam in the world:
The Inks Dam on the Colorado River. Its height is around 97 feet (29.4 meters) and is about 1,550 feet (472 mt) long.
- Deepest Dam in the world-
The dam has a height of 320 feet (98m) and 73% of the dam is below the original river bed.
Some of the Fascinating Dams in the World
1. Contra Dam in Switzerland:
It is commonly known as Verzasca Dam, in Ticino, Switzerland.
It is mostly known for its epic appearance in the opening scene of the James Bond (1995) movie GoldenEye.
Contra Dam is a slender concrete arch dam that has a height of 722 feet (220 mt) and a crest length of 1,247 feet (80 mt).
As the dam is slender in design, the volume of concrete used was considerably reduced and that cut down the cost.
It has a maximum discharge capacity of 1,300 cubic meters per second.
Contra Dam also produces electricity through its 105 MW power station and has created a reservoir with a maximum capacity of 105,000,000 cubic meters.
2. Gordon Dam in Australia:
It is located in southwest Tasmania in Australia.
It is double curvature concrete arch dam. Its uniqueness lies in having curved both in the vertical and horizontal directions.
Because of its design, it can resist large hydraulic pressures of the 12,359,040 mega litters of water in Lake Gordon.
This colossal amount of water is diverted 600 feet (183 mt) to the underground power station generating up to 432 MW of power.
3. Monticello Dam (USA):
This 305 ft (93 mt) concrete arch dam in California is one of the coolest dams in the world.
The spillway is an uncontrolled morning glory with a tip diameter of 72 feet.
It is situated within the perimeters of Lake Berryessa.
It drains 48,400 cubic feet per second of water during peak levels.
This dam generates 56,806,000 kWh of power annually.
4. Hoover Dam in the USA:
Hoover Dam is regarded as one of the most iconic dams in the world, stretching between Nevada and Arizona.
It has a height of 726 feet (221.4 mt), a base width of 656 feet (200 mt), and rest width of 46 feet (14 mt).
It’s a concrete gravity-arch dam and was constructed mainly to control floods, irrigation, and storage of water, produce hydroelectric power, and create a recreation area.
It has an annual electrical output of 4.2 TWh.
5. Chinese Three Gorges Dam:
It is the world’s biggest hydropower dam and stretches out 1.4 miles (2.3 km) to span and impound the Yangtze River in the Hubei.
It has a capacity of producing 87 TWh of electricity per annum.
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