The Huanglongtan Dam is a concrete

gravity dam A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to hold back water by using only the weight of the material and its resistance against the foundation to oppose the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. ...

located on the Du River, a tributary of the Han River. It is located west of

Shiyan Shiyan () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hubei, China, bordering Henan to the northeast, Chongqing to the southwest, and Shaanxi to the north and west. At the 2020 census, its population was 3,209,004 of whom 1,033,407 lived in the b ...

in Hubei Province, China. The main purpose of the dam is

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power generation but it also provides for

flood control Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water level ...

. It was constructed between 1969 and 1976 and support a 510 MW power station.

Background

The Huanglongtan Dam and two other projects on the river ( Songshuling and

Pankou Dam The Pankou Dam is a concrete-face rock-fill dam on the Du River about southwest of Shiyan in Zhushan County of Hubei Province, China. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and flood control. It supports a 513 MW power station lo ...

s) were surveyed in 1954 and final designs were prepared in 1964. Construction on Huanglongtan, the first of the projects to be implemented, began in April 1969. The original 85 MW generators were commissioned in 1974 and the dam was complete in 1976. The entire project was accepted by the state in 1978. In 1980, the dam experienced a 50-year flood with river flow peaking at . The flood inundated the power station as the dam was not prepared for the inflow. This was due to mis-communication within the basin and a lack of a proper hydrological forecast system. In May 2003 the dam's power plant underwent an expansion which included the installation of two new 170 MW Francis turbines along with a new power house and water delivery system. The first of the two generators was operational at the end of 2004 and the project complete in 2005.

Design

The concrete gravity dam is tall, long and has a structural volume of . The dam's crest is wide and sits at an elevation of above sea level. Sitting at the head of a

catchment area In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...

, the dam withholds a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

of of which is reserved for flood storage. Normal reservoir elevation is . The dam's spillway consists of six high and wide

sluice Sluice ( ) is a word for a channel controlled at its head by a movable gate which is called a sluice gate. A sluice gate is traditionally a wood or metal barrier sliding in grooves that are set in the sides of the waterway and can be considered ...

gates and has a maximum discharge capacity of . The dam's original power station is located just downstream on the left bank of the river and contains 2 x 85 MW

Francis turbine The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts. Francis turbines are the most common water turbine in use today, and can achieve over 95% efficiency. The proces ...

-generators. The expansion power plant is located away from the original and contains 2 x 170 MW Francis turbine-generators.

References

{{reflist Dams in China Hydroelectric power stations in Hubei Gravity dams Dams completed in 1976 Energy infrastructure completed in 1974

Background

Design

See also

References