Top 15 Famous Dams in Pakistan

Dams are an obstruction that restricts or slows the flow of surface or subsurface water. The top 15 famous dams in Pakistan are the best reservoirs for many purposes. These dams are the sources for irrigation, flood control for industrial use, human consumption and fish farming, among others.

Dams are typically used to generate electricity. The water can be distributed to various areas of the country. Moreover, it could be stored in the best dams in Pakistan. Dams are an essential part of the economy of Pakistan that depend on agriculture.

Most of the top dams in Pakistan are located on the banks of streams and the Indus River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

What are the Top 15 Famous Dams in Pakistan

The list of the top 15 popular dams in Pakistan is given below:

Rawal Dam
Tarbela Dam
Neelum-Jhelum Dam
Mangla Dam
Mirani Dam
Diamer Bhasha Dam
Khanpur Dam
Sabakzai Dam
Hub Dam
Satpara Dam
Darawat Dam
Gulpur Dam
Namal Dam
Warsak Dam
Gomal Zam Dam

If you reside in Pakistan, it is likely that you are aware of the famed Rawal Dam located in the gorgeous capital city of Pakistan, Called Islamabad. The construction of the Rawal Dam began in 1962. Now, it is one of the 15 famous dams in Pakistan as a main reservoir of water, providing drinking water for the residential developments in Rawalpindi as well as Islamabad. The Dam holds water for around 42,000 acres.

The Korang River and other streams that run off the Margalla Hills are the main sources of water. Rawal Dam is also known as Rawal Lake because of its beautiful surroundings park, which is decorated with lush trees, barbecue areas and picnic areas, as well as slides and swings for children and more!

Tarbela Dam

The Dam in Pakistan holds a prominent place for water reservoirs. It is situated in the Swabi and Haripur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Dam was constructed to prevent the River Indus from running and to create Tarbela Lake. Tarbela Lake reservoir as a consequence.

The development of the Tarbela dam started in the 1960s and was operational by 1976. The Dam is situated close to Sabi with a distance of 105 kilometers from Islamabad. The river Indus was the main source of water for this massive Dam.

The main purpose of this one of the best 15 famous dams in Pakistan was to conserve water for irrigation as well as electricity production. Because the Tarbela Dam is Pakistan’s primary power source, hydroelectricity is frequently subject to improvements and changes.

The most notable feature of Tarbela Dam is that it is able to produce electricity of 5,000 megawatts, with plans to extend this capacity to 6,300 megawatts.

Neelum-Jhelum Dam

It is a well-known dam and is included in the top 15 famous dams in Pakistan. This Dam was constructed in the last few years by a Chinese company to control the flow of water. There is a hydroelectric power plant in the valley.

The Chinese company had permission to develop this Dam that started construction in 2008. But, the development was put on hold for a couple of years before it was finally launched in April 2018.

It is around 42 kilometers from Muzaffarabad in the region of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Moreover, it is one of the best hydroelectric dams in Pakistan, with a power capability of 969 MW.

Mangla Dam

The second-largest reservoir of water located in Pakistan can be found in the Mangla Dam. It’s not just a water reservoir but also an important part of the Indus Waters Basement Treaty between Pakistan and India.

Mangla dam is situated at the highest elevation of 147m with an overall length of 3140 meters. This Dam was constructed in 1961.

Mangla dam is the famous Dam in Pakistan as the main water source for the nation. It was initially constructed for water storage. However, it currently produces 1,150 MW of hydroelectric power.

Mirani Dam

This is one of the top 15 famous dams in Pakistan that is located within the Kech of Balochistan. It reserves an area of 302,000 acres for storing the water.

The developers constructed the Mirani Dam in 2006. Moreover, WAPDA was built to provide water to Gwadar. If a steady supply of water could be found, the land in Kech could be a source of cultivated crops. Therefore, it is a good way of storing water in the summer and flood situations.

Diamer Bhasha Dam

This dam is in the process of being constructed and is the largest Dam globally. The Dam provides magnificent storage for the river Indus. The Dam is expected to produce an estimated power of 4800 MW in the presence of twelve turbines. This Dam is located in Diamer as well as Kohistan.

The Diamer Bhasha Dam can be expected to generate a hydroelectric power of 4500 MW after completion. Pakistan can make use of 8,500,000 acre-feet in water because this Dam can store for agricultural and drinking reasons.

It is expected that the Dam includes 14 gates with an average 272-meter height. The Diamer-Bhasha Dam boasts an active storage of 6,400,000 acres and an overall storage of 8,100,000 acres. There are also two powerhouses underground built to serve the Dam.

Khanpur Dam

Khanpur Dam was built in 1983 on the Potohar Plateau to control the flow of water from the Haro River. In the end, the twin cities also get drinking water from the Dam built through Khanpur Lake.

This one of the top 15 famous dams in Pakistan offers a stunning panorama and stunning beauty. There is a significant number of visitors visit the beaches of Khanpur Lake to take part in water sports such as cliff diving, jet skiing, boating, kayaking, and swimming. You can also camp as well as trek and zip-lining in the vicinity.

Sabakzai Dam

Sabakzai Dam is one of 15 famous dams in Pakistan with a location on the Zhob River. Moreover, it was developed in 2004-7 and aided in the irrigation of the region and provided the locals with much-needed space for recreation.

This Sabakzai Dam is the best resource for the nearby residents. However, the work is not yet completed to establish a functioning irrigation channel that runs through this Dam. It is a vital part of water reservoirs in Pakistan, with a favorite location for tourists.

Hub Dam

Hub Dam is in Lasbela as well as Karachi. It was started in 1963 and completed in 1981 on the Hub River. It is capable of holding water over 857,000 acre-feet.

It is included in the list of 15 famous dams in Pakistan with an area of 24300 acres with a location on the border of Sindh and Balochistan. There is a residence of migratory birds in this area, such as pelicans, cranes, and ducks.

Satpara Dam

Satpara Dam has a location in the Skardu Valley. Millions of water gallons are delivered to Skardu city each day via Satpara Dam because it produces 17.4 MW of hydroelectricity. The Dam’sDam’s power houses were built in 2013. Satpara Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in Pakistan.

This is one of the best 15 famous dams in Pakistan that cleanses 1553 acres, empowering 30,000 people within the Skardu Valley. There are 3.1 million gallons of drinking water for the people of Skardu. The construction of the Dam ended in the year 2011.

Darawat Dam

Darawat Dam is one of the best dams in Pakistan that is located on the bank of the Nai Bran River within Jamshoro. It was constructed in four years.

The Dam is home to 150 million cubic meters of land for storage. It is primarily used as a resource for nearby fields. It also is a place to picnic for those who commute between Hyderabad and Karachi.

Gulpur Dam

It is part of 15 famous dams in Pakistan that are constructed on the Poonch River. This Dam was built in February of 2020t. This new Dam in Pakistan is about 28 kilometers downstream of Mangla Dam Reservoir.

Islamabad and Lahore are at a distance of 167 km and 235 km, respectively. KOSEP and Wapda have signed a deal to construct the project together in cooperation with MIRA Power Ltd.

Namal Dam

Namal Dam is in the list of the top 15 famous dams in Pakistan, 32 km away from Mianwali. British engineers constructed this Dam in 1913. There are mountains on the southern and western parts of the Namal dam to elevate agriculture.

The region includes plains utilized for agriculture, which water the soil. It has evolved into an important area for the migration of birds and attracts bird watchers.

Warsak Dam

Warsak Dam is one of the best water reservoirs in Pakistan at the Kabul River in Peshawar. Canada and Pakistan collaborated to construct the Dam. Warsak Dam was completed in two stages with the aid of Canada.

The first phase of this Dam is managed by WAPDA. The second phase started with the idea of boosting the capacity to 525 MW. Therefore, it has elevated the capacity of the Dam to 240 MW.

There are many people who go fishing or boating in this one of the top 15 famous dams in Pakistan. There is a hotel that visitors can spend the night in.

Gomal Zam Dam

Gomal Zam Dam is constructed on the Gomal River with the purpose of hydropower generation and irrigation. Its construction Dam started in the year 2001 and completed in 2011.

The principal canal, which measures 60.5 km in length, could be able to irrigate around 130,000 acres that are deserted in Kulachi and Tank. It is equipped with a storage of 1,140,000 acres.

Conclusion

There are more than 150 dams, but these are the top 15 famous dams in Pakistan. These dams are extremely crucial because we are a nation of agriculture that depends upon water supply to ensure our existence. Moreover, different housing societies also acquire water resources from the different nearby dams. You can also get the help of Makaan Solutions to invest in popular housing projects such as Mega City and Prism Town.