8. Rihand Reservoir – India
According to the Environmental Justice Atlas, the Rihand Reservoir has a surface area of 466 km2.
Built on the river Rihand in the 1960s, in the Uttar Pradesh region, the reservoir number 8 in our list of largest artificial lakes in Asia has a few names: the Rihand reservoir or the Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar reservoir. The nearest city is called Pipri and the region remains quite rural. This reservoir is under scrutiny for pollution and water contamination. Swimming in the reservoir is not recommended, but it is possible to enjoy the scenery around the reservoir, with lush greenery forests and waterfalls scattered around the reservoir.
7. Kairakkumskoye Reservoir – Tajikistan
According to the ILEC’s website, this Reservoir which will definitely make you win at Scrabble, has a surface area of 513 km2.
It was built on the Syr Darya River in the Fergana Valley, North of Tajikistan, in the 1950s. What is most interesting about this reservoir is the river it is built on: the Syr Darya River is considered the longest river in Central Asia and passing through Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan before finishing its course in the Aral Sea. Since each country took its independence in the 1990s from the USSR, water management has been an issue for those countries.
