Gezhou Dam in Yichang

The embankment is 2,561m long and 70m high, which controls a drainage area of 1,000,000km2 with total content of 1.58 billion stairs. The station possesses of 21 dynamos, with electric energy production of 2,715 kilowatts, about 13.8 billion kilowatt-hours annually.

Layout of Gezhou Dam

The project was carried on by 2 stages. The first stage started in 1970, and now has been completed. The navigation was kept unobstructed during the stage. In the second stage the river was blocked and navigation was stopped so as to ensure that the dam could be built smoothly.

The ship lock chamber 3 is 18m in breadth and 120m in length, which allow passenger-cargo vessels and civil fleet less than 3000 tons to pass.

The ship lock chamber 2 is 34 meters wide and 280 meters long and able to contain ships over 10,000 tons. It takes about 50 minutes for a ship to go through it. The second ship lock is one of the rare giant ship locks in the world.

The process of passing the dam itself is a interesting experience.Since the water level on one side of the dam is 30m higher than that on the other side, the boat has to ascend to the other side of the dam to continue its voyage.To do this,the boat sails into a space resembling a huge water tub,and, after the door to the tub on the lower water side closes tightly, water is injected into the huge tub to raise the boat. When the water level is in line with that on the higher side of the dam,another door on the high water side opens to allow the boat to sail out.