The Central Committee of the China New Democracy Party (CNDP) summoned an urgent meeting with their Earthquake Relief Committee and Hydro-Engineering Committee at 2 p.m. on May 17. The committees urgently discussed the possibility of flooding following the Wenchuan earthquake and urged the Chinese Communist regime to closely pay attention to the possibility of flooding.
CNSP Hydro-Engineering Committee Introduces Evidence of Possible Flooding in Disaster Zone
Three hundred and ninety-one reservoirs in Sichuan Province are at risk after the May 13 Earthquake.
In 11 counties and districts of Chongqing City, 129 reservoirs are damaged, among which are more than 40 medium sized reservoirs. Furthermore, the water level of landslide dams upstream of Beichuan County is rising continuously and is threatening rescue workers downstream.
Five dammed lakes have been formed in Beichuan County Chaping River , and the water level is still on the rise. The water volume of the dammed lake in Tianchi County, Mianzhu City has already exceeded one million cubic meters.
Landslides in nearby Guanzhuang Town of Qingshan County blocked Qinzhu River and Hongshi River, causing a major rise in water level. In Shibangou area of Qingchuan County, a dammed lake with an elevation of 40-50 meters has been formed.
Currently, the water level has risen to more than 20 meters high. The backwater of its upstream is about five to seven kilometres and water storage volume has reached over 8 million cubic meters. Dam overflowing has already occurred in the upstream of some areas, causing a risk of flooding.
Three relatively large dammed lakes formed after the earthquake at two towns close to Beichuan, the water level in those areas has increased dramatically. Fractures have been found on the face of the Zipingpu Hydro-electric Dam at a massive hydroelectric station. Fabrication and maintenance facilities, along with other construction walls have collapsed and a part of it is undermined. A 500,000 volt lightening arrester also collapsed and the whole hydro-electric station is no longer operational.
The normal water storage level of the Ziping Hydro Dam is 877 meters while its largest dam is 156 meters. Its total storage capacity is 1.126 billion cubic meters.
Zipingpu Hydro Dam is located upstream of Min River, nine kilometres northwest of Doujiangyan Irrigation System. Min River is 711 km long and is also a tributary of the Upper Yangtze River, covering an area of 13,588 square kilometers. The river above Dujiangyan Irrigation System is upstream. The total length of the river is 314 km and the fall of the river is 2062 meters. It covers 23,037 square kilometers.
Zipingpu dam site covers 22,662 square kilometres, occupying 98 percent of the Upper Min River. The average flow rate is 469 meter per second and total annual runoff is 14.8 billion cubic meters, using 97 percent of Upper Min River.
Hydro-Engineering Committee Considers the Following
The dammed lakes of the above areas are right above the area where displaced victims of the earthquake are staying. If the river floods its bank, the consequences will be too ghastly to contemplate.
Thus, the following suggestions was made: First, the homes close to river channels must be evacuated to higher ground. Second, a military preparation-like project should be launched to maximally mobilize transportation so as to move earthquake victims as quickly as possible. Third, landslide dams should be blasted to pre-emptively prevent flooding.
Also, the security of Zipingpu Hydro Project must be ensured and reservoir capacity should be controlled strictly. Meanwhile, it’s also suggested that downstream residence migration work should be done well.
The above is provided by CNDP Disaster Relief Committee. The situation was thoroughly researched, debated, and finally approved by CNDP committee. The copy is assigned by CNDP Acting President, Guo Quan. Signatures of CNDP Disaster Relief Committee and experts from the Hydro-Engineering Committee are located below (Omitted).
