Advantages of Three Gorges Dam – Giant Flood Control Capacity

When the normal water impounding level in Three Gorges Dam is 175 meters, the flood control capacity of Three Gorges Dam is 22.15 billion cubic meters. The flood control advantages of three Gorges Dam and its related environment advantages are very obvious. The main flood control advantages of Three Gorges Dam to the midstream and downstream of the Yangtze River mainly perform as bellow:

Advantages of Three Gorges Dam - Prevent Jinjiang River, Doting Lake Areas and Jianghan Plain from Devastating Disaster

If there is thousand-year flood or the flood as strong as the flood in 1980, the flow rate of flood peak at Zhicheng will reach 110,000 cubic meters per second. With the adjustment of Three Gorges Reservoir, the flow rate at Zhicheng will be less than 71700 to 77000 cubic meters per second. Coordinating with Jinjiang River Flood Diversion Project and some other flood diversion areas, the water level in Shashi will be controlled in 45 meters, which can prevent the both banks of the Jinjiang River, Doting Lake Areas and Jianghan Plain from devastating disaster.

Advantages of Three Gorges Dam – Improve Jinjiang River Flood Control Capacity

The Three Gorges Dam can make the flood control standard of Jinjiang River Section from ten-year flood to hundred-year flood. If there is hundred-year flood, with the adjustment of Three Gorges Reservoir, the flow rate at Zhicheng will be less than 56700 cubic meters per second, and the water level in Shashi will be lower than 44.5 meters. And it is not necessary to use the Jinjiang River flood diversion area and other flood diversion areas.

Advantages of Three Gorges Dam – Improve Flood Control Ability below Chenglingji

It improved the flood control ability below Chenglingji. Coordinating with Danjiangkow Reservoir and the flood diversion areas around Wuhan, the water level at Wuhan in flood season will be in control. It not only makes the flood adjustment flexibility at Wuhan improve, but also offer guarantee to the flood control in Wuhan.

Advantages of Three Gorges Dam – Alleviate Flood Threat to Donting Lake Area

Three Gorges Dam can effectively control the water from upstream, decrease the flood and silt to Donting Lake in flood season. It not only can powerfully alleviate the flood threat to Donting Lake, but also can delay the sediment accumulation speed at Donting Lake to extend the life span of Donting Lake. It also can adjust the flood in Lishui River through the flood peak, alleviate its harm to downstream and create good condition to the Donting Lake management.

Advantages of Three Gorges Dam - Increase Reliability and Flexibility of Flood Control

The Three Gorges Dam can increase the reliability and flexibility of flood adjustment in the midstream and downstream of the Yangtze River so that we can better handle various conditions. For example, if there is a devastating flood need the help of flood diversion areas, with the adjustment of Three Gorges Dam, we can get more time to transfer people in flood diversion areas.