Navigation Safety of Three Gorges Faces New Challenge for a New Round of Water Storage

Three Gorges Reservoir started a new round of experimental water storage on September 10, 2011 as planned. The Maritime Department of Yangtze River has launched the Preplan for Navigation Safety to ensure a safe, unimpeded and ordered navigation during the Water Storage of Three Gorges Reservoir.

The runoff from the upper reaches of Yangtze River in flood season this year is relatively less compared to the same period in other years. The earlier withered water period will make it more difficult to realize the plan of navigation safety during the experimental water storage of Three Gorges Reservoir according to the Maritime Department of Yangtze River. The inflow of Three Gorges Reservoir is 13600 cubic meters per second on August 8 which is 198400 cubic meters per second compared to the same period in last year. The runoff of Yichang Session of Yangtze River dropped to 9800 cubic meters per second, and that is decreased 15000 cubic meters per second compared to the same period in last year. The water level of Yichang Session lowered 5.54 meters compared to the same period in last year.

The Maritime Department of Yangtze River urged the shipping units and enterprises to carry out the relocation work of the wharf boats carefully and organize rescue on time when there is an emergency. Traffic control was carried out on special sessions of Yangtze River. Relevant departments would spare no efforts to carry out the supervision and fault examination work carefully to guarantee safe navigation. The maritime affairs bureau of Chongqing, Yichang, and Three Gorges, the local governments, the geological hazard monitoring offices and some other relevant departments should connect with each other, master the geological hazard information and report to the superior departments in time. The major ports and emergency tugboats are alerted.

150 maritime law enforcement officials of Yichang Maritime Affairs Bureau had stationed in 11 search and rescue centers on Yangtze River. They would put their emphasis on the monitoring of the reservoir area, bridge areas, port areas and shoal sessions.