Oldest Dam in China

China is home to many things, like one of the world’s seven wonders, beautiful nature, and stunning architecture. It is also home to some of the oldest dams in the world as well, and that’s what we’re going to take a closer look at in this article.

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at some of the oldest dams in China.

5 Oldest Dams in China

5. Sanmenxia Dam

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Sanmenxia Dam is one of the oldest dams in China! The construction on this dam first started back ini 1957, and was initially constructed to control flooding and ice from forming. It was also constructed for hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, and navigational purposes. It’s interesting to note that although this dam has a surface area of around 907 square miles, it took only around 3 years to be full constructed.

It’s also worth noting that the Sanmenxia Dam was the first major water control project that took place on the Yellow River. Its construction marked one of the first massive achievements of the new and improved People’s Republic of China. Several years later, an image of the dam was even printed on China’s currency!

Did you know?

The Sanmenxia Dam was renovated and reengineered after large amounts of sediment were found in the water that the dam released, leading to public criticism from the people of China.

4. Xinfengjiang Dam

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Xinfengjiang Dam is another gravity dam that is located in the Guangdong Province in China. It’s interesting to note that the construction on this dam began back in 1958. During this time, several thousand cubic feet of earth was excavated to make room for the dam’s construction, but unfortunately, the year after construction was started, there were several earthquakes in the area surrounding the dam.

Therefore, the engineers involved in the dam’s construction adapted its design and added more concrete to the cavities in its foundation. However, although the earthquakes in the areas in and around the dam caused widescale disaster, they also helped fill the dam with enough water for the dam’s desired purposes!

Did you know?

The Xinfengjiang Dam’s water supply is used for farming. It also provides places like Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen with drinking water.

3. Liuxihe Dam

Photo Source: Chincold.org.cn

The Liuxihe Dam was built on the Liuxi River in the Conghua District in China. One of the most interesting things about this dam is that the plans for its construction took less than a year to complete! Once its construction started in 1956, the dam took only around two years to be fully constructed.

The reason that this dam was constructed was to generate hydroelectric power, irrigation, and flood control. It is over 250 feet high, over 838 feet long, and has a base width of around 22 meters.

Did you know?

The Liuxihe Dam is an arch dam, which means that its design curves in an upstream pattern. The curve exists so that the pressure of the water presses against its arch and strengthens the overall structure.

2. Fengman Dam

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Unlike some of the other dams mentioned on this list, the Fengman Dam has a pretty interesting history and origin story. This dam was constructed at the beginning of the Second World War, during the period of time when Japan occupied China.

Although construction began only in 1937, the dam itself only began to fill by the end of 1942. It’s also worth noting that the first generators of the dam began working at the beginning of 1943 in March, but it was not fully useable. This was because the dam didn’t have floodgates.

However, by the time 1959 rolled around, the dam’s final generator was installed. As the decades rolled by, more and more elements were added to its design. For instance, in the 70s, a tunnel was installed, and by the time the 90s came around, this tunnel was converted into a flood discharge tunnel!

Did you know?

The Fengman Dam will be dismantled. This is because a new dam was constructed in 2019, which means that this one will be dismantled, though a small portion of it will be saved and maintained for historical reasons.

1. Sup’ung Dam

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Sup’ung Dam is one of the oldest dams in the country. The construction of this dam first began in 1937 and finished in 1943, making it one of the oldest dams in all of China. Just like the Fengman Dam, this dam also has quite an interesting origin story and history. It was constructed by a Japanese company called the Yalu Hydroelectric Company during the Second World War.

As time went by, generators were added to the dam, and it became fully operational for a couple of years. There was also a point in time when this dam was the largest in Asia, and the world’s third-largest dam. This dam was built primarily for generating electricity. Although it is one of the oldest dams in China, it has been repaired several times over years because of flood damage.

Did you know?

The Sup’ung Dam was bombed during the Korean War on three separate occasions. It was bombed by the United Nations Command, so power generation was disrupted for those in North Korea.

If you’re interested in learning more about ancient structures in China, check out our article on the oldest cities in China.

Conclusion

In this article, we took a closer look at some of the oldest dams in China. While researching this article, we were fascinated to learn that some of these dams have existed since the Second World War, and that they continue to be used today. We hope that you learned something new from this article, and that you enjoyed reading it.