CTG’s 4 cascade dams at Yangtze River reduce water discharge to mitigate floods

Four cascade hydropower stations along the Yangtze River have reduced the water discharge from July 6 to July 11 as part of efforts to mitigate the floods in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze river, according to their operator and owner China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG).

The four stations including Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Three Gorges and Gezhouba have stopped a total of 17 power generators in order to reduce the water discharge during the period, cutting from 82 units to 65.

The water discharged from the Three Gorges Dam has declined to 19,000 cubic meters per second on July 11, down nearly 50 percent and the fifth time the dam has cut the outflow since July 6.

The continuous water outflow adjustment has effectively slowed down the extent and speed of the rising flood in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, significantly mitigating the flood control pressure in the region.

The water inflow in Three Gorges Reservoir is expected to maintain above 35,000 cubic meters per second in the coming week, with peak flow rate likely to hit 50,000 cubic meters per second, according to latest forecast.

The available flood storage capacity at Three Gorges Reservoir stood at 19.56 billion cubic meters, or 88 percent of its total on July 11, indicating that it has enough capacity to cope with the next flood.