三峡大坝 '更立西江石壁'
Three Gorges Dam is the biggest hydro project in the world.
Three Gorges Dam multidirectionally lays out its project culture and water conservancy culture, providing visitors multiple services with visiting, education and entertainment.
Tanzi Mountain Scenic Area is reconnaissance area for the dam, with an altitude of 262.48 meters. This is an ideal spot to appreciate the whole view of Three Gorges Dam.
Winding water, green grass going across the Three Gorges Dam making a grand view which makes here a paradies.
Three Gorges Dam is a combination of modern project, nature scene and cultural sites.
Climbing up to the Tanzi Mountain, you will enjoy a complete view of the Three Gorge Dam.
Located in front of the dynamo workshop to the left of the dam, the Near Dam Spot is a perfect place for having a close view of the dam.
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Three Gorges Dam Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information
Three Gorges Dam, as one of the biggest hydropower-complex project in the world, ranks as the key project for improvement and development of Yangtze River. The dam is located in the areas of Xiling Gorge, one of the three gorges of the river, which will control a drainage area of 1 million km2, with an average annual runoff of 451 billion m3. The open valley at the dam site, with hard and complete granite as the bedrock, has provided the favorable topographical and geological conditions for dam construction.
Something needs to know
The site of Three Gorges Dam is located in Sandouping, Yichang City. It is the largest and hardest water conservancy project at the most cost of work. It has the sluice of world's largest flood discharge capacity. A large number of emigrants leave their hometown due to the Three Gorges Dam project. The total number of emigrants ultimately reaches about 1,130,000.
Three stages of the dam
The project generally could be divided into three periods. The first period is from 1993 to 1997; the second period is from 1998 to 2003 and the third period is from 2004 to 2009. After the completion of the project, the water level is up to 175 meters and the total water capacity is up to 39,300,000,000 cubic meters.
First Stage (1993 - 1997)
The initial stage involved preparation work and in 1994, the project was formally commenced. In the main this entailed the filling of the cofferdam and excavation of the diversion channel in the first stage construction pit. At the same time, on the left bank of the river a temporary ship lock was constructed. The water and shipping continued to follow the original river course. In 1997, the successful damming of the Yangtze River attracted very many tourists at home and from abroad.
Second Stage (1998 - 2003)
The main tasks of this stage are to construct the further cofferdams both upstream and downstream, electricity station facilities on the left dam and the installation of machinery. Meanwhile, the permanent navigation buildings will be finished on the left bank. During the second period, the river water will flow through the diversion channel and shipping will use either the open diversion channel or the temporary ship lock.
Third Stage (2003 - 2009)
After the successful completion of the second stage, the third stage will become the focus of attention. During this period, the power station on the left bank and the permanent ship lock will be brought into use. All ships on the river will use the permanent ship lock while the river will flow through the permanent bottom and the temporary diversion outlets in the spillway dam. The dam sections and the electricity station on the right riverbank will be constructed, and the installation of all machinery will be finished. Once the project is completed in 2009 the depth of normal level of the water in the reservoir will be 175 meters.
What it for
Three Gorges Dam project plays a key role in flood control in the midstream and downstream reaches of Yangtze River. It is also used for flood control, electricity generation, shipping, tourism and ecological protection, environmental purification, irrigation and south-north water transfer. It is an unparalleled power planting the world nowadays.
Flood Control
After the implementation of the dam, its normal pool level will produce a flood control capacity of 22.15 billion cubic meters, which will be sufficient to control the greatest flood experienced in the past 100 years; With the help of the flood diversion structure, the Three Gorges Dam Project will protect both banks of the Yangtze River from suffering the kind of destruction that has occurred over the past 1000 years. The fact is that the Three Gorges Dam Project, like a guardian angel, will protect 23,000,000 mu of farmland (1,533,333 hectares), the lives of 15 million people and property in the down river area of Yangtze River.
Power generation
The river water will generate electricity in the hydropower stations. The profits are considerable. The anticipated annual electricity generation is 84.6 billion kilowatt hours. The dam will yield the same amount of electricity as 20 nuclear power plants! It will be the number one in the world and will play an important role in the development of the economy and reduction of environmental pollution.
Navigation
The 600km long waterway from Yichang to Chongqing will be improved, making it possible for 10,000 tons of shipping to sail directly upstream to Chongqing. The river transport will be improved from 10 million to 50 million tons per year and the costs reduced by 35-37 percent. After the adjustment to the reservoir, navigation conditions both upstream and downstream on the Yangtze River will have been greatly improved in those seasons when water levels have been low.
Tourism
The Three Gorges Dam Project will promote further tourism. As the largest water conservancy in the world combined with the world-renowned natural beauty the Three Gorges will become the "hottest" tourist and press attraction in recent years. See new attraction list of Yangtze.
What to enjoy
Three Gorges Dam shows rapid change with each passing day. To develop tourism, Tanzi Mountain was built to enable visitors to see the panorama of Three Gorges from the highest point of the building site. The exhibition house and environmental garden are located in the dam area, which includes the natural scenic spot Maogongshan and the old architecture Huangling Temple. Combined, these highlight the beauty of science and culture while showing the value of the Three Gorges Dam in China's water Conservancy effort.
Cruising the Three Gorges
The Three Gorges stretch upriver from the dam 118 miles towards Chongqing. Qutang Gorge is closest to Chongqing and at 5 miles is the shortest and most dramatic with 500 foot cliffs that have Mesozoic limestone peaks topping out at over 4,000 feet. The Wu Gorge is also noted for its sheer cliffs and 12 cloud-covered mountains. The third gorge and the one closest to the dam is the Xiling Gorge. It stretches over 41 miles and its cliffs looks much like an elegant Chinese painted scroll. Passengers on cruise ships usually leave their ships behind and board smaller vessels to tour the Lesser Three Gorges in one of the Yangtze's tributaries. The rising waters have made this area more accessible.
Exhibition of Three Gorges Dam Project
Exhibition of Three Gorges Dam Project was opened in 1992 with the whole coverage of 6600 square meters. The exhibition could be divided into the special zones of the construction of Three Gorges Dam, environmental protection, emigration, advancement of science and technology, power production, calligraphy and painting as well as photography.
Maogong Mountain
There is a special mountain that looks like a man lying on top the other mountains. It also called Huangniuyuan (Yellow Ox Crag). Local people say it looks like our former chairman Mao Zedong, you can see its hair, forehead, eyes, brows, nose, mouth and body clearly, so people named this mountain Maogong Mountain.
Tanzi Mountain
This lace will become a permanent platform for tourists to see the three gorges dam scenery. It is said that long time ago, a magic ox helped Dayu who controlled who river enter his home successfully. In order to thank the ox, people gave him a big boat with 24 pigs and a great bottle of wine. But the ox just left a shadow on the mountain flying to the sky without taking anything from the boat.
After that, people called the mountain Yellow Ox Crag. And then the huge boat became a small island known as Zhongbao Island. On it the "24 pigs" became the 24 reefs, the great bottle of wine became a mountain known as Tanzi Mountain. It is also said you will smell an enticing liquor fragrance when the weather is fine.
Special-purpose Road of Three Gorges Dam
This road is built in 1994 and began operation in October 1996. It is 28.64 kilometers long.40 percent of the road is occupied by 35 bridges and 5 tunnels. Among there tunnels Muyucao is the longest tunnel with a distance of 3,610 meters, which is the longest tunnel in China. This special-purpose road can be regarded as the Museum of Bridges and Tunnels in China.
Three Gorges Dam Highlights
Three Gorges Dam FAQ & Travelers's Tips
- What's the history of Yangtze River?
- What are the characteristics of Yangtze river?
- How's the environment around Yangtze River?
- When is the best time to cruise on the Yangtze River?
- What's the difference between upstream and downstream?
- What are the sightseeings alongside the river?
- What does the cruise ticket include?
- How are the ship meals arranged?
- What is the difference between an ocean cruise ship and a Yangtze River cruise ship on management structure?
- Is there any limit for luggage?
What's the history of Yangtze River?
The Yangtze Harbor is important to the cultural origins of southern China. Human activity was found in the Three Gorges area as far back as 27 thousand years ago, initiating debate over the origin of the Chinese people. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Ba and Shu were located in the western part of the river, covering modern Sichuan, Chongqing, and western Hubei; Chu was located in the central part of river, corresponding to Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and southern Anhui. Wu and Yue were located in the eastern part of the river, now Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Although the Yellow River region was richer and more developed at that time, the milder climate and more peaceful environment made the Yangtze river area more suitable for agriculture.
From the Han Dynasty, the region of the Yangtze river became more and more important in China's economy. The establishment of irrigation systems (the most famous one is Dujiangyan, northwest of Chengdu, built during the Warring States period) made agriculture very stable and productive. Early in the Qing dynasty, the region called 'Jiangnan' (that includes the southern part of Jiangsu, the northern part of Zhejiang, and the southeastern part of Anhui) provided 1/3-1/2 of the nation's revenues.
Historically, the Yangtze became the political boundary between north China and south China several times because of the difficulty of crossing the river. Many battles took place along the river, the most famous being the Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 AD during the Three Kingdoms period.
Politically, Nanjing was the capital of China several times, although most of the time its territory only covered the southeastern part of China, such as the Wu kingdom in the Three Kingdoms period, the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and smaller countries in the Northern and Southern Dynasties and Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms periods. Only the Ming occupied most parts of China from their capital at Nanjing, though it later moved capital to Beijing. The ROC capital was located in Nanjing in the periods 1911-1912, 1927-1937, 1945-1949.What are the characteristics of Yangtze river?
The Yangtze flows into the East China Sea and was navigable by ocean-going vessels up to a thousand miles from its mouth even before the Three Gorges Dam was built. As of June 2003, this dam spans the river, flooding Fengjie, the first of a number of towns affected by the massive flood control and power generation project. This is the largest comprehensive irrigation project in the world, and has a significant impact on the China's agriculture. Its proponents argue that it will free people living along the river from floods that have repeatedly threatened them in the past, and will offer them electricity and water transport -- though at the expense of permanently flooding many existing towns (including numerous ancient cultural relics) and causing large-scale changes in the local ecology.
The Yangtze is very polluted, especially in Hubei (Shashi).
Opponents of the dam point out that there are three different kinds of floods on the Yangtze River: floods which originate in the upper reaches, floods which originate in the lower reaches, and floods along the entire length of the river. They argue that the Three Gorges dam will actually make flooding in the upper reaches worse and have little or no impact on floods which originate in the lower reaches. Twelve hundred years of low water marks on the river were recorded in the inscriptions and the carvings of carp at Baiheliang, now submerged.
The Yangtze is flanked with metallurgical, power, chemical, auto, building materials and machinery industrial belts, and high-tech development zones. It is playing an increasingly crucial role in the river valley's economic growth and has become a vital link for international shipping to the inland provinces. The river is a major transportation artery for China, connecting the interior with the coast. The river used as a waterway for commerce offer now the possibility to cruise at leisure. Since 2004 a European luxury cruising company has brought very high standard and with the help of Swiss hotelier Nicolas C. Solari developed and opened three beautiful vessels now cruising the mighty river. The river is one of the world's busiest waterways. Traffic includes commercial traffic transporting bulk goods such as coal as well as manufactured goods and passengers. Cargo transportation reached 795 million tons in 2005. River cruises several days long especially through the beautiful and scenic Three Gorges area are becoming popular as the tourism industry grows in China.
Flooding along the river has been a major problem. The rainy season in China is May and June in areas south of Yangtze River, and July and August in areas north of it. The huge river system receives water both from southern and northern flanks, which causes its flood season to extend from May to August. Meanwhile, the relatively dense population and rich cities along the river make the floods more deadly and costly. The most recent major floods were the 1998 Yangtze River Floods, but more disastrous were the 1954 Yangtze river floods, killing around 30,000 people. Other severe floods included those of 1911 which killed around 100,000, 1931 (145,000 dead), and 1935 (142,000 dead).How's the environment around Yangtze River?
In 2007 fears were expressed that China's Finless Porpoise, known locally as the jiangzhu or'river pig' might follow the baiji, the Yangtze river dolphin, into extinction. The baiji was declared functionally extinct in 2006.
The Three Gorges Dam is having a major adverse impact on the Yangtze River basin, especially the biota and archaeology.
Calls have been made for action to be taken to save the porpoise, of which there are about 1400 left living, with between 700 and 900 in the Yangtze, with about another 500 in Poyang and Dongting Lakes.
2007 population levels are less than half the 1997 levels, and the population is dropping at a rate of 7.3 percent per year.
Heavy river traffic on the Yangtze has driven the porpoise into the lakes. On Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, sand dredging has become a mainstay of local economical development in the last few years, and is an important source of revenue in the region that border it. But at the same time, high-density dredging projects have been the principal cause of the death of the local wildlife population.
Dredging makes the waters of the lake muddier, and the porpoises cannot see as far as they once could, and have to rely on their highly-developed sonar systems to avoid obstacles and look for food. Large ships enter and leave the lake at the rate of two a minute and such a high density of shipping means the porpoises have difficulty hearing their food, and also cannot swim freely from one bank to the other. About 30% of river's major tributaries like Minjiang, Tuojiang, Xiangjiang and Huangpu are heavily polluted by massive quantities of ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants which are causing significantly smaller fish catch.When is the best time to cruise on the Yangtze River?
Any time is okay to travel when ships are sailing. The most popular times are April, May, September, October and even November as the good weather lingers much longer in China than that in North America.
What's the difference between upstream and downstream?
The advantage and disadvantage of upstream trip and downstream trip is the following
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UPSTREAM
1, Upstream trip is more relax and comfortable because of one more day staying on the cruise ship. The passengers will not feel tired and busy during these days.
2, For foreigners, you may have more chance to know and learn some chinese culture and custom.
3, For persons who have not enough time to travel, upstream is not a good selection.
4, The place of the begining is Yichang city in which the airport route is not enough for the travellers around the world. -
DOWNSTREAM
1, Chongqing has a bigger airport, so it's easier for them to get to Chongqing boarding the cruise ship from many cities.
2, Most people think downstream trip gives you the feeling that you're going down the main stream.
3, For some travellers who have not enough time. The downstream trip is best choice.
4, As there are more people take downstream cruises, it's more expensive and more crowded.
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UPSTREAM
What are the sightseeings alongside the river?
The cruise will allow you to enjoy some unique sights including superlative natural scenery, important historical sites.
Some of the highlights from Chongqing to Yichuan are:- Chaotianmen Gate Chaotianmen Gate is the largest harbor on the upper reach of the Yangtze River. It is an amazing place where the brown, muddy Yangtze meets the clear Jialing River.
- Fengdu Ghost City It is said to be the home of devil. The whole place has an eerie feel to it with deserted streets, tower blocks, empty shops and banks.
- Shibaozhai Shibaozhai is a rectangular rock with sheer cliffs, standing on the riverside. A 12-storey red wooden pagoda with upturned eaves stands on the top.
- Lesser Three Gorges The Lesser Three Gorges refers to the three separate valleys of the Daning River with the names of Dragon Gate Gorge, Misty Gorge and Emerald Gorge. The gorges are truly spectacular. Sheer cliffs soar up towards the sky from the brown-green water. Mountain tops hover above the ribbon of mist, disconnected from their roots.
- Shennong Sream Shennong Stream is a tributary of the Yangtze River. The crystal clear steam flows swiftly from north to south through deep gorges.
- Baidi City(White Emperor City) Baidi City clings to grand hills and cliffs. It is well known as 'the Poet City' Many ancient scholars once visited it and left many literary relics.
- Gezhou Dam The dam is 2,606 meters long and 70 meters high. There will be 5 ship locks and even an elevator to lift smaller ships over the dam.
What does the cruise ticket include?
The price is very comprehensive as it includes the accommodation, all meals on board, shore excursions and port taxes. The extra costs would be gratuity which is your personal discretion, drinks in bars, long distance telephone calls and faxes, laundry, barbershop, clinics, massage, shopping and others personal expenses.
How are the ship meals arranged?
Each ship has a big restaurant, which can accommodate all passengers on board the ship. So, there are no shifts on board the ship.Passengers are arranged at appointed tables, which are planned by travel group, nationality, habit of food, religion and culture. Usually, ten persons are at one table. Sometimes, three to five persons are at one table, which depend on the total number of the passengers. There are many collective activities such as shore excursions and they have fixed schedules, so the meal schedules are fixed, too. It takes 1-1.5 hours to have your meals rely on the schedule. A three-star or above cruise ship provides room dinner service and local flavor banquet if you book half or one day in advance. If you are a patient, or Moslem, or Buddhist, you may give advanced notice. Diet, vegetarian, low sugar and low salt food are also available.
Each ship has a welcome banquet and farewell banquet, on which dishes are delivered to table. Some five-star ships offer authentic western banquets, with silver forks and knives, provide imported butter, cheese. Most cruise ships arrange buffet meals, with both Chinese and western food.
Most ships also take orders for Chinese dishes. If you want to treat somebody special on the ship, even with a banquet, it can be arranged. The main menu is published on the notice board in front of the restaurant. Ask the waiter or waitress if you are not sure.
Here is a list of food provided on board:- Chinese Wine Tsingtao Dry Wine, Dynasty Dry White Wine, Dynasty Red Wine, Loyal
- Cocktail with Alcohol tw Medini, Grass Hopper, Whisky Sour, Teqinla Suririse, Planter Punch, Tom Collins, Margarita, Daiquiri, Pina Bloody Mary.
- Cocktail without Alcohol Royal Cruise, Pussy Foot, Fn, iit Punch
- Soft Drinks (aerated water, mineral, juice) Cola, Diet Cola, Spirit Sodri Tonic, Evian Water, Pemer Water, Localwater, Orange Juice, Tomato Juice, Coconut Milk
- Aperiiifs Campari, Pemo4 Martini
- Sherry Port Cream Sheny, Fino Sheny, Sandeman Port
- Whisky Scotch Whisky, Whisky, Irish Whisky, Malt Whisky, Bour Whisky
- Vodka Smimoff Vodka, Stolichiiaya Vodka
- Gin, Gordonfs
- Rum Captain Morgen, Bacardi Rum
- Congnac Courvoisier Napolone, Remy Martin. Hennessy
- Congnac Courvoisier X. O, Remy Martin X. O, Hennessy X. O, Martell Cordon Bleu
- Spirit Pernod, Underberg, Tequila
- Beer and Stout Carlsberg, Heineken. San Miguel, Stout
- Chinese Spirits Fen Jiu, Mao Tai, Bai Yun Bian, Wu Liang Ye
What is the difference between an ocean cruise ship and a Yangtze River cruise ship on management structure?
The management system on the Yangtze is simple. The general manager is in charge, which is different from ocean cruise vessels. Captain is in charge of the operation of mechanical part of the ship. He must concentrate on the sailing because there are lots of gorges, reefs and shoals in the river. The captains on the Yangtze River are experienced and have been examined and promoted strictly. Ordinarily, there are one hundred and half travelers and one hundred staffs on one ship.
Is there any limit for luggage?
There is no rule for the number of the pieces or weight of personal luggage on your cruise ship. But closet space is limited, so bring things you intend to use. There is a luggage rack in every room and luggage deposit service is available. If you are a member of a travel group, your luggage will be sent to ship in advance or arrive at the same time you check in. The luggage will be sent into your cabin by the bellboy once your cabin is assigned. If you are traveling individually, the bellboy will help you. But the ships usually charge $1 per piece, arrival or departure. Please note this is not tip and you have to pay upfront on the spot.If you want to pay tip when he has finished his job, give him one or two ten-yuan bills when you do not have a lot of stuff.
As the world's largest and grandest water conservancy project, Three Gorges Dam has become a symbol of China's efforts to join the modern world. When completed in 2009, the dam will boost fisheries, tourism, and recreational activities in the area.
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