This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2011)
Dams and reservoirs in China are numerous and have had a profound effect on the country's development and people. According to the World Commission on Dams in 2000, there were 22,104 dams over the height of 15 m (49 ft) operating in China. Of the world's total large dams, China accounts for the most – 20 percent of them; 45 percent of which are used for irrigation. Accordingly, the oldest in China still in use belongs to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System which dates back to 256 BC.[1][2] In 2005, there were over 80,000 reservoirs in the country and over 4,800 dams completed or under construction that stands at or exceed 30 m (98 ft) in height.[3] As of 2007, China is also the world's leader in the construction of large dams; followed by Turkey, and Japan in third.[4] The tallest dam in China is the Jinping-I Dam at 305 m (1,001 ft), an arch dam, which is also the tallest dam in the world. The largest reservoir is created by the Three Gorges Dam, which stores 39.3 billion m3 (31,900,000 acre feet) of water and has a surface area of 1,045 km2 (403 sq mi). Three Gorges is also the world's largest power station.[5][6]
Dams and their associated reservoirs are constructed by the country for several reasons including hydroelectric power generation, flood control, irrigation, drought mitigation, navigation and tourism.[7] China has the largest potential for hydropower in the world and currently ranks first in hydroelectric generating capacity with about 200,000 MW online.[8][9] These benefits have come with adverse effects such as resettlement and inundation while impeding river flow often leads to habitat loss and on certain rivers there are issues with trans-boundary river flow.[7]
The nation's leading institution for dam design is the Beijing-based China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR),[10] somewhat similar to Russia's Hydroproject Institute.
Below is a partial list of dams and reservoirs in China that are both operational and under construction. The most notable by height, type, and reservoir size, are among those listed. The minimum height for a dam to be included on the list is 20 m (66 ft).
^Zhang, Lubiao. "Social Impacts of Large Dams: The China Case" (PDF). World Commission on Dams. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
^"Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision-Making" (PDF). World Commission on Dams. 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
^"State of the Art Dam Construction in China". China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
^Narasaiah, M. Lakshmi (2007). Microcredit and agricultural development (1. ed.). New Delhi: Discovery Publ. House. p. 77. ISBN 978-81-8356-247-8.
^"China's largest Reservoirs". Chinese National Committee on Large Dams. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
^"China's highest dams". Chinese National Committee on Large Dams. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
^ abTan, John S.Y.; Wieland, Martin; Ren, Qingwen, eds. (2004). New developments in dam engineering. London: Balkema. pp. 975–979. ISBN 978-0-415-36240-5.
^"China aims to increase hydropower 50 percent by 2015". BusinessGreen. 6 September 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
^Cai, Jie (September 2009). "Hydropower in China". University of Gavle. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
^About IWHR: Introduction
and 29 Related for: List of dams and reservoirs in China information
listofdamsandreservoirsin India. As of July, 2019, total number of large damsin India is 5,334. About 447 large dams are under construction in India...
Damsandreservoirsin Afghanistan are used for irrigation, water supply, hydro-electric power generation or a combination of these. The Afghan government...
The tallest damsinChina are some of the tallest damsin the world. Nearly 22,000 dams over 15 metres (49 ft) in height – about half the world's total...
irrigation and diversion canals and hydropower stations. The benefits of the dams are not only limited to hydropower. Many dams are multi-purpose dams that...
following is a listofreservoirsin Singapore. There are a currently 17 reservoirs which are designated as national water catchment areas and are managed...
many dams to build up a large volume before operation can begin. For this type ofreservoir only a small portion of the water held behind the dam is useful...
surveillance, repair, and consolidation ofreservoirdams. China has 87,000 reservoirs across the country; most of which were built in the 1950s–1970s using...
hydroelectric power stations Listof power stations inChinaListofdamsandreservoirsinChina Three Gorges Museum Liang Weiyan, one of the leading engineers...
Reservoirsin Hong Kong are spread fairly evenly over the entire 1,104 km2 of Hong Kong. There is plenty of space for small reservoirsin Hong Kong, as...
immense damage and loss of life when they occur. In 1975 the failure of the Banqiao ReservoirDamand other damsin Henan Province, China caused more casualties...
off-stream reservoirs, which receive diverted water from a nearby stream or aqueduct or pipeline water from other on-stream reservoirs. Dams are typically...
Station China's South–North Water Transfer Project DamsandreservoirsinChina Geology of the Himalaya India's National Projects of the Ministry of Water...
and significant energy loss due to need for long transmission lines to connect remote damsin the mountainous south-west to demand in southern China....
the reservoirs (artificial lakes) in the world with a surface area exceeding 500 km2 (190 sq mi). Reservoirs can be formed conventionally, by damming the...
and ecosystems, and siltation and erosion patterns. While dams can ameliorate the risks of flooding, dam failure can be catastrophic. In 2021, global installed...
energy portal ListofdamsandreservoirsinChinaListof major power stations in Guangdong "China's highest Concrete Gravity Dams". Chinese National Committee...
upper stretch of the Yangtze River in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, in southwest China. The dam is a 289-meter-tall double-curvature arch dam with a crest...
portal List of power stations in China ListofdamsandreservoirsinChina "Sanbanxi Hydro Power Station" (inChinese). S.C.Consultation. Archived from the...
Global Information