Three Gorges Project plays vital role in flood control of Yangtze River

The Three Gorges Project, built and operated by China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG), had conducted 53 flood control operations between 2003 when it had the capability of flood control operation and 2009, with a total flood storage capacity of 153.3 billion cubic meters. The massive project also saw flood of 55,000 cubic meters per second passing its dam 14 times during that period.

In 2010 and 2012, the maximum flood peaks reached 70,000 and 71,200 cubic meters per second respectively. The Three Gorges Reservoir clipped them by about 40 percent, effectively preventing the water level in Shashi section of the lower reaches of the Yangtz River from exceeding the alert threshold, and the water level in Chenglingji section of the middle reaches of the Yangtz River from exceeding the safety level. The operations effectively ensured the flood control safety of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in the event of a major flood.