The water level in the Three Gorges Dam reservoir is nearing its maximum capacity.
The water level in the Three Gorges Dam reservoir reached 165.6m this morning, exceeding the warning level by 20m and nearing the maximum level of 175m.
Data released today by Chinese authorities shows that water levels at the Three Gorges Dam, the massive dam on the Yangtze River, are nearing their maximum capacity after torrential rains upstream caused record-high inflows into the reservoir.
The Yangtze River Hydrological Network reported that the water inflow into the Three Gorges Dam reservoir yesterday reached 75,000 cubic meters.3The unprecedentedly high water level in the reservoir reached 165.6 meters this morning, an increase of more than 2 meters overnight and 20 meters higher than the warning level. The maximum designed water level for China's largest reservoir is 175 meters.
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| The Three Gorges Dam in Hubei province, China, released floodwaters on July 19. Photo:Xinhua |
Chinese authorities have had to increase flood discharge to a record level of 48,800 cubic meters.3They released water on August 20th in an attempt to lower the water level in the reservoir. They may continue to increase the discharge rate to avoid the possibility of the dam overflowing.
Desiree Tullos, a professor at Oregon State University who studies the Three Gorges Dam project, believes Chinese officials will "do everything to prevent water from overflowing the dam." "Overflowing is the worst-case scenario because it causes significant damage and could lead to the collapse of everything," he said.
Rainfall in the Yangtze River basin has more than doubled the seasonal average this year. As of last week, the floods had caused nearly 180 billion yuan in economic damage to China, affecting 63 million people.
The Three Gorges Dam, completed in 2012, was designed not only to generate electricity but also to reduce the risk of flooding from the Yangtze River, which has been the cause of many devastating floods throughout Chinese history.
According to government figures, China's massive hydroelectric dams have stored more than 100 billion cubic meters of water.3Floodwaters this year have helped 18.5 million residents avoid evacuation. Officials say the Three Gorges Dam alone has reduced downstream flooding by 34%. However, opponents of the project argue that the dam's flood control capabilities are limited and that it could even worsen the problem in the long run.
China experiences floods every year, but this year's floods are larger than usual and have caused severe damage. Unusual rainfall has occurred mainly in southern China. Rainfall in the Yangtze and Huai River basins has reached its highest level since 1961.
The Yangtze River, also known as the Changjiang River, is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. Approximately 6,385 km long, the Yangtze River originates in western China and flows eastward, emptying into the East China Sea.
