Largest Dams in South America by Reservoir Volume

By  Sam Drake , views , updated
Categories: Urban Americas
Dataset contains 13 data items (see table below).

Overview

Guri Dam of Venezuela is the largest dam by reservoir volume in South America, with a reservoir of 135 billion m3. The second largest dam by reservoir volume is Tucuruí Dam with a volume of 45 billion m3 of water, while the third largest is Itaipu Dam at 29 billion m3 of water.The reservoir volumes of major dams in South America range from 0.36 billion m3 to 135 billion m3, with the average dam impounding up to 26.5 billion m3 of water.

 Compare Guri Dam with Alberto Lleras Dam

Dataset Rank & segment full dataset here

Loading dataset..

The above represents only a partial dataset — click here to rank, query and segment all 13 data items on the full dataset.

Here are the largest dams by reservoir volume in South America.

Guri Dam.

Venezuela orders electricity blackouts to save money during drought - CGTN America

Completed in 1978, Guri Dam is a 44-year-old gravity dam. It is also known as Simón Bolívar Hydroelectric Plant and is located in Necuima Canyon, Bolívar, Venezuela (South America).

The gravity dam stands at a height of 162 meters and impounds up to 135 billion m3 of water. Guri Dam has a structural volume of 29.80 million m3 and an installed capacity of 10,235MW.

 

 Compare Guri Dam with Guangzhao Dam from China.

 Compare Guri Dam with Chief Joseph Dam from United States.


Tucuruí Dam.

Tucuruí Dam - Brazil (Youtube/u b)

Tucuruí Dam is a gravity dam located in Tucuruí, Pará, Brazil (South America). It was completed in 1984 (38 years old).

Tucuruí Dam is the 3rd largest gravity dam in the world by reservoir volume. The structural height of Tucuruí Dam is 78 meters. The gravity dam can hold up to 45 billion m3 of water and has an installed capacity of 8,370MW.

 

 Compare Tucuruí Dam with Chief Joseph Dam from United States.

 Compare Tucuruí Dam with Boyabat Dam from Turkey.


Itaipu Dam.

Itaipù Dam: the world's largest generator of renewable clean energy (credit: Youtube/Total)

Itaipu Dam is a buttress dam located in Foz do Iguaçu and Hernandarias, Brazil-Paraguay (South America). It was completed in 1984 (38 years old).

Itaipu Dam is the 2nd largest hydroelectric dam in the world by installed capacity. The installed capacity of Itaipu Dam is 14,000MW. The buttress dam stands 196 meters tall and can impound up to 29 billion m3 of water. Its structural volume is 12.30 million m3.

 

 Compare Itaipu Dam with Clywedog Reservoir Dam from United Kingdom.

 Compare Itaipu Dam with Daniel-Johnson Dam from Canada.


Ilha Solteira Dam.

Jupiá and Ilha Solteira modernization process (Youtube/CTG Brasil)

Ilha Solteira Dam is located in Ilha Solteira, São Paulo, Brazil (South America). The embankment dam was completed in 1973 (49 years old).

Ilha Solteira Dam impounds the 2nd largest reservoir volume in Brazil. The embankment dam has an installed capacity of 3,444MW. Ilha Solteira Dam stands 76 meters tall and can impound up to 21.20 billion m3 of water.

 

 Compare Ilha Solteira Dam with Çetin Dam from Turkey.

 Compare Ilha Solteira Dam with La Yesca Dam from Mexico.


Belo Monte Dam.

Belo Monte - Plant and Power Houses (Youtube/UHE Belo Monte)

Belo Monte Dam is a 6-year-old gravity dam (completed in 2016). It is located in Pará, Brazil (South America).

Belo Monte Dam is the 2nd largest hydroelectric gravity dam in the world by installed capacity. The structural height of Belo Monte Dam is 90 meters while its structural volume of 25.36 million m3. The gravity dam can hold up to 1.89 billion m3 of water and has an installed capacity of 11,233MW.

 

 Compare Belo Monte Dam with Grand Coulee Dam from United States.

 Compare Belo Monte Dam with Burrinjuck Dam from Australia.


Macagua Dam.

VENEZUELA: PUERTO ORDAZ: HYDROELECTRIC PLANT IS INAUGURATED (Youtube/AP Archive)

Completed in 1961, Macagua Dam is a 61-year-old embankment dam. It is also known as Antonio José de Sucre and is located in Ciudad Guayana in Bolívar State, Venezuela (South America).

The embankment dam has an installed capacity of 3,168MW. Macagua Dam stands 69 meters tall and can impound up to 0.36 billion m3 of water.

 

 Compare Macagua Dam with Burrendong Dam from Australia.

 Compare Macagua Dam with Zhiguli Hydroelectric Station from Russia.


Jirau Dam.

Usina Hidroelétrica Jirau (Youtube/Daniel Gade)

Jirau Dam is a 6-year-old embankment dam (completed in 2016). It is located in Rondônia, Brazil (South America).

Jirau Dam is the 3rd largest hydroelectric dam in Brazil by installed capacity. The structural height of Jirau Dam is 63 meters while its structural volume of 2 million m3. The embankment dam has an installed capacity of 3,750MW.

 

 Compare Jirau Dam with Aswan Dam from Egypt.

 Compare Jirau Dam with Kielder Water Dam from United Kingdom.


Dams Lists

Largest Dams by Installed Capacity (MW): world | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | USA | Canada | Australia | UK

Tallest Dams: world | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | USA | Canada | Australia | UK

Dams with Largest Structural Volume: world | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | USA | Canada | Australia | UK

Dams with Largest Reservoir Volume: world | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | USA | Canada | Australia | UK

Largest/tallest Dams by Type: Arch Dams | Embankment Dams | Gravity Dams | Arch-Gravity Dams | Buttress Dams

Attributions