list of dams

Written by

Melissa Petruzzello

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Dams are incredible—and often controversial—feats of engineering and serve a variety of purposes. They are built to provide water for human consumption, for irrigating arid and semiarid lands, or for use in industrial processes. They are used to increase the amount of water available for generating hydroelectric power, to reduce peak discharge of floodwater created by large storms or heavy snowmelt, or to increase the depth of water in a river in order to improve navigation and allow barges and ships to travel more easily. The following is a list of dams, ordered alphabetically by country.