List of reservoirs by volume


The classification of a reservoir by volume is not as straightforward as it may seem. As the name implies, water is held in reserve by a reservoir so it can serve a purpose. For example, in Thailand, reservoirs tend to store water from the wet season to prevent flooding, then releases it during the dry season for farmers to grow rice. For this type of reservoir, almost the entire volume of the reservoir functions for the purpose it was built. Hydroelectric power generation, on the other hand, requires many dams to build up a large volume before operation can begin. For this type of reservoir only a small portion of the water held behind the dam is useful. Therefore, knowing the purpose for which a reservoir has been constructed, and knowing how much water can be used for that purpose, helps determine how much water is in possible reserve.

Terminology

The following terms are used in connection with the volume of reservoirs:
Nominal Volume or Capacity is the total volume of all water held behind a dam at the maximum level possible.
Initial or Design Volume refers to the possible volume within the reservoir after it first opens. Many rivers are high in silt that over time deposits behind a dam reducing capacity.
Active or Live volume equals the total capacity minus the dead pool volume. This is the volume that can serve some downstream purpose. For example, it is the volume available to make hydroelectric power or provide drinking water to a city.
Dead pool or Minimum volume refers to the amount of water left in a reservoir that cannot be used for the general purpose the reservoir was constructed. At this state, the reservoir is termed fully drawn down. For example, if built to supply water in the dry season, it is the water left behind when no more water can be extracted. Frequently, the effective minimum volume is greater if the water is needed for a purpose behind a dam.
Available capacity may require knowing the reservoir's primary purpose. If it is designed to prevent flooding, it may be the volume of water that can be retained before reaching maximum or top water.
Actual or Current when coupled with another term reflects the fact the level behind the dam is not constant.

Expanded versus artificial lakes

The list below largely ignores many natural lakes that have been augmented with the addition of a relatively minor dam. For example, a small dam, two hydroelectric plants, and locks on the outlet of Lake Superior make it possible to artificially control the lake level. Certainly, the great majority of the lake is natural. However, the control of water that can be held in reserve means a portion of the vast lake functions as a reservoir.
Recognition of lakes like Lake Superior greatly changes the list below. For example, the Francis H. Clergue Generating Station and Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant, which are both on the lake's outlet, operate with just 5.9 meters total head. This is short compared to other dams. However, when viewed against the 81,200 km2 area of the lake, even a small range in Lake Superior's means its active volume is greater than the largest nominal in the table below.

List

RankReservoirDamRiverCountryYearNominal volume km³
1Lake KaribaKariba DamZambezi River and 1959180.6, 160.3
2Bratsk ReservoirBratsk DamAngara River1964169, 169.3
3Lake VoltaAkosombo DamVolta River1965150, 148
4Manicouagan ReservoirDaniel-Johnson DamManicouagan River1968141.851, 141.7
5Lake GuriGuri DamCaroní River1986135
6Lake NasserAswan High DamNile River1971132
7Grand Ethiopian Renaissance DamBlue Nile Riverunder construction79
8Williston LakeW. A. C. Bennett DamPeace River196774.3
9Krasnoyarsk Reservoir Krasnoyarsk DamYenisei River196773.3
10Zeya ReservoirZeya Hydroelectric Station Zeya River197868.4
11Robert-Bourassa ReservoirRobert-Bourassa generating stationLa Grande River198161.715
12La Grande-3 Nord ReservoirLa Grande-3 generating stationLa Grande River198160.02
13Ust-Ilimsk ReservoirUst-Ilimsk DamAngara River197759.3
14Boguchany ReservoirBoguchany DamAngara River201258.2
15Kuybyshev ReservoirZhiguli Hydroelectric StationVolga River195558
16Cahora BassaCahora Bassa DamZambezi River197455.8
17Serra da Mesa ReservoirSerra da Mesa DamTocantins River199854.4
18Caniapiscau ReservoirBrisay generating stationCaniapiscau River198153.8
19Pati–ChapetónParaná River?53.7
20Bukhtarma Reservoir Bukhtarma Hydroelectric Power PlantIrtysh River196753
21Danjiangkou ReservoirDanjiangkou DamHan River 196251.6
22Lake Atatürk DamAtatürk DamEuphrates199248.7
23Irkutsk ReservoirIrkutsk DamAngara River195646
24Tucuruí DamTocantins River198445.536
25Los Barreales Lake?Loma de la Lata Dam? Neuquén River197343.5
26Mari Menuco Lake?Planicie Banderita hydroelectric power plant Neuquén River197943
27Three Gorges ReservoirThree Gorges DamYangtze River200939.3
28Lake MeadHoover DamColorado River193637.2968
29Winar Grue?195237
30Roseires ReservoirRoseires DamBlue Nile196636.3
31Vilyuy Reservoir Vilyuy Dam Vilyuy River196735.9
32Lake PowellGlen Canyon DamColorado River196435.55019
33Nechako ReservoirKenney DamNechako–Kemano196635
34Sobradinho ReservoirSobradinho DamSão Francisco River197934.1
35Smallwood ReservoirChurchill FallsChurchill River197132.64
36Jenpeg DamLake Winnipeg outlet197531.79
37Keban Dam LakeKeban DamEuphrates197131.5
38Volgograd ReservoirVolga Hydroelectric StationVolga River195831.5
39Sayano-Shushenskoye Reservoir Sayano-Shushenskaya DamYenisei River199031.3
40Lake SakakaweaGarrison DamMissouri River195330.22031
41Lake KossouKossou DamBandama River196130
42Iroquois DamSt. Lawrence River195829.95901
43Lake OaheOahe DamMissouri River196629.11018
44Lake Itaipu Itaipu DamParaná River and 198329
45Rybinsk ReservoirRybinsk DamVolga River1941-194725.4
46Sanmenxia ReservoirSanmenxia DamYellow River196216.2
47Mingachevir reservoirMingachevir DamKura River195315.73
48Merowe DamNile River200912.50