Zipingpu Dam (紫坪铺水利枢纽) is an embankment dam on the Min River near the city of Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province[1] in southwest China. It consists of four generators with a total generating capacity of 760 MW.[2] Construction began in 2001 and was finished late 2006. The dam site was originally developed during the Shu-Han nearly 2000 years ago.
| Zipingpu Dam | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location of Zipingpu Dam in China | |
| Coordinates | 31°02′07″N 103°34′26″E / 31.03528°N 103.57389°E |
| Construction began | March 2001 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill |
| Impounds | Min River |
| Height | 156 metres (512 ft) |
| Length | 663 m (2,175 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Zipingpu Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 1,120,000,000 cubic metres (907,999 acre⋅ft) |
| Power Station | |
| Installed capacity | 760 MW |
The traditional Dujiangyan Irrigation System consisting of canals, levees, and dams, has been in use since 256 BC.[3]
Controversy
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The 7.9 magnitude quake on May 12, 2008 caused some damage to the dam, with its wall being cracked and fissured. The reservoir had to be gradually drained to permit consolidation works.[4][5]
The reservoir is located just a few kilometers from the 2008 earthquake epicenter, and just a few hundred meters from the fault. Some geologists hypothesized that the loading and unloading of the crust below the reservoir caused by changes in the water level may have somehow acted as a trigger to the earthquake. However, this hypothesis has not been demonstrated.[6][7][8]
See also
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References
edit- ^ Satellite map of Zipingpu area
- ^ "New Water Control Project Under Construction", Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2002
- ^ China Heritage Project. "Taming the Floodwaters". The Australian National University. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
- ^ "Zipingpu Hydropower plant stopped by quake", China.org.cn, May 13, 2008
- ^ Wong, Edward; and Schwartz, John, "Chinese Soldiers Rush to Bolster Weakened Dams", The New York Times, May 15, 2008
- ^ Moore, Malcolm, "Chinese earthquake may have been man-made, say scientists", The Telegraph, Feb 3, 2009
- ^ LaFraniere, Sharon, "Possible Link Between Dam and China Quake", The New York Times, February 5, 2009
- ^ "Zipingpu Reservoir and the Wenchuan Earthquake" (PDF). ECEE. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 12, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
