When it comes to figuring out the biggest dam in the U.S., it all depends on what “big” means to you! Are you looking for length, height, or sheer water-storage power? For instance, the Oroville Dam takes the crown as the tallest, standing tall at a jaw-dropping 770.5 feet. But if you’re thinking height, the Hoover Dam isn’t far behind, towering at 726 feet—higher than the Fort Peck Dam.
When it comes to size by volume, Fort Peck wins the heavyweight title, packing a whopping 28 million cubic yards (21.4 million cubic meters) of concrete—way more than the Hoover Dam. So, whether it’s height, length, or volume, each dam is a giant in its own right!
The Tallest Dams in the U.S.
1. Oroville Dam: 770.5 feet on the Feather River in Oroville, California.
The Oroville Dam is the tallest dam in the United States. It is 6,920-feet long and contains 80 million cubic yards of earth and rock. The Orville Dam creates Lake Oroville, which is California’s second-largest reservoir, with a storage capacity of about 3.5 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir provides water for the State Water Project, which delivers water to millions of Californians.
2. Hoover Dam: 726 feet on the Colorado River on the border between Nevada and Arizona.
The Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon. The Hoover Dam is a symbol of American ingenuity and resilience. It is named after Herbert Hoover, who was instrumental in its planning and approval before becoming President of the United States. The Hoover Dam creates Lake Mead, which has a total water storage capacity of 28.9 million acre feet. This makes it the largest reservoir in the United States by capacity. It spans 1,244 feet across the canyon.
3. Dworshak Dam: 717 feet in Idaho on the North Fork Clearwater River.
The Dworshak Dam is a concrete gravity dam completed in 1973 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It has a water storage capacity of approximately 3,560,000 acre-feet, which is crucial for managing water levels and mitigating flood risks in the region.
4. Glen Canyon Dam: 710 feet on the Colorado River near Page, Arizona.
Completed in 1963, the dam creates Lake Powell, which is the second-largest man-made reservoir in the United States. At full capacity, Lake Powell can hold approximately 25.16 million acre-feet of water. However, sedimentation and other environmental factors have slightly reduced this capacity over the decades.
5. New Bullards Bar Dam: 645 feet in Yuba County, California, on the North Yuba River, a tributary of the Yuba River.
The New Bullards Bar Reservoir has a substantial water storage capacity of approximately 1,010,000 acre-feet. Completed in 1970, this impressive concrete dam plays a critical role in the region’s water management, particularly for flood mitigation and clean energy production.
The Longest Dams in the U.S.
1. Herbert Hoover Dike: 739,200 feet (225308) long
The Herbert Hoover Dike is about a 140-mile long structure encircling the southern end of Lake Okeechobee in Florida. It is a relatively low height of 35 feet. Its length makes it a real giant of dams. It is nearly 10 times longer than the second longest dam in the U.S. The term “dike” is interchangeable with “levee”. Dikes serve to prevent water from flooding low-lying lands.
2. Arthur V. Watkins Dam: 76,665 feet (23367.5 meters) long
Located in Utah, the Arthur V. Watkins Dam stretches an impressive 76,665 feet or about 14.5 miles. It impounds the waters of the Great Salt Lake to create Willard Bay Reservoir. Completed in 1964, this earth-filled dam was built primarily for irrigation purposes. It creates the Willard Bay Reservoir and provides water for agriculture in the region.
3. Barker Dam: 71,900 feet (21915 meters) long
Texas is home to the third-longest dam in the U.S, the Barker Dam. The Barker Dam is located in Fort Bend County, Texas, and situated near the communities of Grand Lakes and Aliana, southwest of Houston. The dam is part of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs system, which plays a significant role in flood control for the Houston area.
4. Addicks Dam: 61,166 feet(2109 meters)
Another Texas giant, the Addicks Dam, spans 61,166 feet or about 11.6 miles. Constructed in 1948, it shares similar purposes with its neighbor, the Barker Dam, focusing on flood control and recreation. It is also crucial in managing water flow in the Houston metropolitan area.
5. Oroville Dam: 6,920 feet (2,110 meters) long
The Oroville Dam is a monumental structure located on the Feather River in Northern California, near the city of Oroville. Standing at an impressive 770-feet (235-meters) tall, it holds the distinction of being the tallest dam in the United States. This earthfill embankment dam contains 78.44-million cubic yards of material.
