The Ahai Dam (阿海水电站) is a gravity dam on the

Jinsha River The Jinsha River (, Tibetan: Dri Chu, འབྲི་ཆུ) is the Chinese name for the upper stretches of the Yangtze River. It flows through the provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan in western China. The river passes through Tiger L ...

in Yulong County,

Lijiang Lijiang (), also known as Likiang, is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Yunnan Province, China. It has an area of and had a population of 1,253,878 at the 2020 census whom 288,787 lived in the built-up area (metro) made of Gucheng ...

Prefecture,

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the ...

and in the river reach at about 5 km in the lower reaches of Cuiyu River mouth. Preliminary construction began in 2008 and construction on the dam superstructure and power station began in 2010. The dams first generator was operational in December 2012, the third by May 2013. The fifth and final generator was commissioned on 9 June 2014.

Background

The dam section is a

transverse valley A transverse valley is a valley which cuts at right angles across a ridgeWhittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984, p. 548. . or, in mountainous terrain a valley that generally runs at right angles to the li ...

with a water surface 60 to 150 m wide and low water level of 1048 m. The landforms on both banks are basically symmetrical. There is a measurement of about 50 m wide tableland and about 30 degrees above water surface in the left bank, and the slope in the right bank is about 27 degree and the slope above the elevation of 1500 m is about 48 degree. There is poor sand and

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

materials and abundant

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...

material satisfied with requirement of quality and reserves within 20 km in the dam area, which is qualified for setting up low dam according to existing

geological Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other E ...

data. In the light of topographic and

conditions, the Ahai Dam section can be considered as local material dam type with low height of swell, suitable for connection of backwater with Liyuan cascade. The dam has normal water level of 1514 m, total reservoir capacity of 1.08 billion cubic meters and installed capacity of 2,000,000-2,200,000 kW. Now, a low-cost road to Niukexu has been opened to traffic, and there is only an about 5 km long path to the dam section.lijiang.com.cn/english/investment/water

Environmental impact

This project marked the first time representatives from Chinese environmental groups were invited to participate in the environmental impact assessment for a major

hydropower Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of ...

project in China, according to the First Financial Daily. Representatives of the Institute for Public & Environmental Affairs and the Green Earth Volunteers took part in the meeting to conduct technical evaluation on environmental impact assessment for the dam on the

on December 29–30, 2008 in

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

References

{{Yangtze dams , dam=Ahai Dam, downriver=

Jinanqiao Dam The Jinanqiao Dam or Jin'anqiao Dam (, ''meaning "golden and peace bridge"'') is a concrete gravity dam on the Jinsha River southeast of Lijiang City in Yunnan Province, China. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and flood c ...

, upriver=

Liyuan Dam The Liyuan Dam is a concrete-face rock-fill dam on the Jinsha River on the border of Yulong County and Shangri-La County, Yunnan Province, China. The dam has an associated hydroelectric power station with a 2,400 MW power station containing 4 x 6 ...

Hydroelectric power stations in Yunnan Dams in China Dams on the Jinsha River Dams completed in 2012 Energy infrastructure completed in 2014 Gravity dams 2014 establishments in China Buildings and structures in Lijiang

Background

Environmental impact

See also

References