The world's largest clean energy corridor, comprising six cascade hydropower stations, has fully completed its annual drawdown process ahead of the flood season, freeing up a total of 35.8 billion cubic meters of flood control storage capacity. This initiative is a key measure to ensure safety along the Yangtze River basin during the high-water period.
The corridor includes the Wudongde, Baihetan, Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Three Gorges, and Gezhouba hydropower stations. The annual drawdown, also known as pre-flood drawdown, is a core routine procedure in reservoir water regulation. It involves systematically lowering the reservoir water level from near the normal pool level to the flood control level before the main flood season arrives, thereby creating the necessary flood storage space.
The four cascade reservoirs on the lower reaches of the Jinsha River—Wudongde, Baihetan, Xiluodu, and Xiangjiaba—began their drawdown on January 1, 2026. They successfully lowered their water levels by a cumulative 15.2 billion cubic meters, completing the process approximately two weeks ahead of the schedule stipulated by operational regulations.
The water level at the Three Gorges Reservoir was drawn down to 147.78 meters by 9:00 PM on June 7. Through coordinated scheduling of all six cascade reservoirs, a combined flood control capacity of 35.8 billion cubic meters has been secured, providing ample regulation and storage space for flood management in the Yangtze River basin.
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