How does the height of Usoi Dam compare to major man-made dams?

At 567 metres high, the natural Usoi Dam in Tajikistan is significantly taller than any man-made dam in the world. It stands 262 metres higher than the tallest existing artificial dam, the Jinping-I dam in China. The dam was formed in 1911 when an earthquake triggered a massive landslide that blocked the Murghab River.

What we know

• At 567 metres high, Usoi Dam is the tallest dam in the world, whether natural or man-made. [2, 3]
• Usoi Dam is 262 metres higher than the tallest existing man-made dam. [3]
• The tallest man-made dam in the world is the Jinping-I dam in China, standing at 305 metres high. [3]
• The tallest embankment dam and second-tallest man-made dam is the Nurek Dam in Tajikistan at 300 metres high. [3]

Still open

• Sources note varying estimates for Usoi Dam's exact rise from the original valley floor, ranging from 500 to 700 metres.

Where to go next

• what caused itHow was Usoi Dam created by an earthquake?
• how it workedWhat is Sarez Lake and how does water escape the dam?
• what followedCould the Usoi Dam collapse in a future earthquake?
• compared withWhat are the tallest man-made dams in the world?
• the bigger pictureHow do natural landslide dams form?
• an unexpected connectionHow can a natural dam hold back water without overflowing?Rather than overflowing and eroding its crest, Usoi Dam lets water seep stably through its base at a rate that matches incoming flow.

Sources

• [1]Usoi Dam (Wikidata Q3377037) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Usoi Dam · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]List of tallest dams · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Landslide dam · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Dam · CC BY-SA 4.0