Three Gorges Dam sees new round of flooding

August 21, 2012

Continuous rains near the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, China's longest waterway, have caused water levels on the Three Gorges Dam to surge, bringing a new round of flooding to the dam.

The Three Gorges Dam releases water. [File photo]

As of 8 p.m. Monday, water inflow into the dam's reservoir measured 25,000 cubic meters per second, much greater than the 17,000 cubic meters per second reported on Aug. 15, according to the water resources bureau of the city of Yichang in central China's Hubei Province.

The bureau said water levels on the dam's reservoir had reached 146.7 meters as of 8 p.m.

Yichang has been under siege by heavy rain for the last two days, with the local weather bureau predicting more downpours for the next two days.

The bureau said the dam will experience water inflow rates of as high as 26,000 to 27,000 cubic meters per second in the coming two days. A significant rise is expected on Friday, when water inflow may reach 30,000 cubic meters per second.

Last month, the dam withstood the year's biggest flood, with 70,000 cubic meters of floodwaters gushing into its reservoir every second.

The dam's reservoir stores floodwaters in the summer and releases the water in the dry season to ease droughts, particularly in downstream rice-growing areas.

http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2012-08/21/content_26291801.htm