what's the largest dam in the united states
List of tallest dams in the United States Most of the U.S.'s taller dams are located in the west because of the steeper and more rugged topography. The tallest is Oroville Dam in northern California, a 770.5-foot (234.8 m) embankment dam completed in 1968. Five of the ten highest dams in the U.S. are located in California. The Colorado, Columbia and Sacramento–San Joaquin river systems contain the greatest number of high dams. In the eastern U.S., tall dams are less common because of the lesser vertical relief. The tallest dam in the eastern U.S. is 480-foot (150 m) Fontana Dam in North Carolina, which ranks 20th in height among all U.S. dams.
Three Gorges Dam During the 1980s, the idea of a dam reemerged. The National People's Congress approved the dam in 1992: out of 2,633 delegates, 1,767 voted in favour, 177 voted against, 664 abstained, and 25 members did not vote.[24] Construction started on December 14, 1994.[25] The dam was expected to be fully operational in 2009, but additional projects, such as the underground power plant with six additional generators, delayed full operation until May 2012.[verification needed][12][23] The ship lift was completed in 2015.[8][26] The dam had raised the water level in the reservoir to 172.5 m (566 ft) above sea level by the end of 2008 and the designed maximum level of 175 m (574 ft) by October 2010.[27][28]