This is a global database of dams developed by digitising visible dams in Google Earth and naming them. The database has been developed as part of the pantropical hydrology research at King's College London (http://www.ambiotek.com/tropicalhydrology) . We have used it to examine hydrological inputs to these dams and the impacts of climate and land use change. It is made available to the user community in raw and unfinished form in the hope that others will contribute to its development so that it will grow in use and utility.