Three Gorges Dam

Background

The Three Gorges Dam stands at Sandouping Town in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei, in the middle section of the Yangtze's Xiling Gorge. The dam is about 2,335 m long, its crest is 185 m above sea level, and the normal water level is 175 m. The power station's installed capacity of 22,500 MW is the largest in the world. The dam has two flights of five-step ship locks, which take ships about 4 hours to pass; the vertical ship lift, completed in 2016, raises vessels about 113 m. Construction officially began in December 1994; water storage and the first generating unit started in 2003, the dam was completed in 2006, and all generating units were in operation by 2012. The project serves flood control, power generation and navigation. The dam area has been open to visitors since 1997, and the main viewpoints are Tanziling, the 185 Platform and the Memorial Garden.

Local customs

• Start on Tanziling for a panorama of the dam, the locks and the Yangtze, then go to the 185 Platform to see the dam and the reservoir upstream at eye level
• see the large construction machines displayed in the open air at the Memorial Garden
• learn how the project was built at the exhibition hall
• with luck, watch ships pass through the five-step locks or the ship lift.

Travel tips

• Allow about half a day for the dam area
• shuttle buses link the viewpoints. Visiting arrangements depend on water levels and operations
• for tickets and shuttle buses, follow the official announcements. The riverside is sunny in summer, so bring sun protection and water.
• Go first to central Yichang, then take the dam-area bus or drive to the visitor center and transfer to the shuttle buses. Yangtze cruises often include the dam as a shore excursion. The dam can be visited year-round: flood releases in the high-water season are spectacular, but what is open depends on conditions on the day
• spring and autumn are mild and best for views from high points
• winter has fewer visitors.