Enguri Dam

The Enguri dam stands in a narrow gorge on the river of the same name, a double-curvature concrete arch structure two hundred and seventy-one and a half metres high, built between the early 1960s and 1987 and among the tallest arch dams anywhere. The wall is thin relative to its height, which is what makes arch dams work: the load is transferred into the rock of the gorge walls rather than resisted by mass. A reservoir stretches back behind it into the mountains, and the road to Svaneti runs along the shore. The crest can be walked, and from it the drop on the downstream side is the thing everyone remembers.

History

Construction of the Enguri dam began in 1961; it went into temporary operation in 1978 and was completed in 1987, and at 271.5 metres it is the world's second highest concrete arch dam. In 1994 engineers from Hydro-Québec found it "in a rare state of dilapidation", and from 1999 lenders including the European Commission, the EBRD, the European Union, the Japanese government and KfW funded urgent repairs, with €116 million in loans in all; in 2011 the European Investment Bank lent a further €20 million to complete the rehabilitation of the hydropower plant (Wikipedia, Enguri Dam).

The main sights

• A 271-metre arch dam - among the tallest of its type in the world.
• The thin curved wall - the structural principle visible in the shape.
• The reservoir behind - water backed up into the mountains.
• The walk along the crest - the view down the gorge face.

When to go

April to October, when the road to Svaneti is straightforward. Two hours as a stop on the way to Mestia. Access to the crest depends on the operator and can be closed.

Before you go

It is an operating power installation and access is at the operator's discretion; the crest is sometimes closed with no notice. Photography of some parts is restricted. There are no visitor facilities. The road is busy with traffic heading to Svaneti.

Nearby

Jvari is south; the road continues north to Mestia.

Key facts