0:00
so let's F talk about how they're
0:02
managing this monster of a damn I mean
0:04
and trying to keep the water Spirits
0:06
calm we'd also talk about what could
0:09
happen if temps go sideways like uh like
0:12
a structure failure may maybe or toppy
0:16
like if the dance starts to dock back to
0:25
rivers so just for your reference the
0:28
tree gorgeous stem is a flood control
0:30
and hydroelectric power project located
0:32
in the habai province of China it's D's
0:36
largest hydroelectric gravity Dam
0:38
situated over the young sea River its
0:40
height is about 181 M and the spin vays
0:44
have a capacity of flood release of over
0:47
1 lak 16,000 cubics now if if you're B
0:51
familiar with the rivers in China you'd
0:53
know that the Yon SE River has been
0:55
known for its floods I mean really
0:58
extreme level of floods that's horrible
1:01
recently in mid July parential drains
1:03
wrecked hammock stillery in the
1:06
southwestern part of the
1:07
country these rains raised the water
1:10
levels in 29 Rivers resulting in dozens
1:12
of towns being submersed in Muddy Waters
1:15
during the same week the region
1:17
witnessed to 70 MN of rain the highest
1:20
ever recorded in a single day now at
1:24
this Pond I'd like to code some figures
1:25
to help me get a picture of the intense
1:27
situation in willing in China B
1:30
authorities have provided estimates
1:32
including figures indicating that 40,000
1:35
people were affected several areas were
1:39
1,800 hectares of grops were
1:43
damaged regarding a tree gorgia stem the
1:45
waterlemon in the young sea River Basin
1:47
reached a maximum of 161.000 M and
1:51
that's the highest record for the
1:54
current summer consequently the
1:56
spillways of the Three Gorges were open
1:58
with a peak flow of 45 5,000 cubic m/s
2:01
but more recently this has increased to
2:04
about 50,000 cubic m per second I know
2:08
you'd say that this is not too much
2:09
while looking at a total capacity but
2:11
believe me I mean that amount of
2:14
discharge is horrible uh and also that's
2:16
about the 50% of the total floor release
2:19
capacity so it surely was a panicking
2:22
situation as as fun to put the dam erss
2:24
were currently releasing about 60% of
2:27
the inflow Downstream to create a
2:31
fluxer now just look at this picture of
2:33
the reservo levels and these are the
2:35
levels in the past few months no if you
2:38
look closely you can see that that draw
2:41
down the reservo level in advance to
2:43
tackle the flood however the recent
2:46
heavy rains in the Upstream Basin have
2:48
forced them to upgrade the dam in what
2:49
seems like a panic me they are losing
2:52
more water because if they don't it
2:54
would it could result in a gear damage
2:57
so it's uncertain and unknown that that
3:00
that means Anything Could Happen him top
3:02
of Tad the situation is further
3:04
Complicated by the weather fur guest
3:06
predicting another approaching rainy
3:08
season in early August I mean maybe
3:11
another FL is just around the corner and
3:14
China is at the peak of its season and
3:16
flood period you know which runs from
3:19
mid July to Mid August however due to
3:22
color disaster probations there has been
3:25
a significant infrastructure damage
3:26
including a bridge collapse in the
3:28
shanzi province that caused 25 course to
3:31
fall into raging for her additionally
3:34
frequent lens slines have occurred due
3:38
storms so despite the normal size of the
3:41
tree gorgeous stum it's owned so drew
3:43
that it has a limited capacity for flood
3:45
management but that's not exalting as a
3:48
matter of fact if the scale of the
3:49
poring flun has been assessed months in
3:52
the last the Reser could have been
3:54
managed by empting distur and so to
3:57
prepare the beating class on the the
3:59
other hand releasing too much water can
4:02
cause Devastation I mean holding back
4:05
too much risks over topping the Damned
4:08
and that's a catastrophic
4:10
scenario anyhow I'm still alarmed and
4:13
worried that if in in such a panic mode
4:16
the approaching flood surpasses the
4:18
Dam's actual capacity there be a
4:21
potential for overtopping and failure
4:24
even in case of the tree gorg justan
4:31
now this is the most important part of
4:32
this video so let's try to imagine and
4:34
find out that what could possibly happen
4:36
if the three gorgas Dam actually fails
4:38
or at least has a breach for that matter
4:40
well obviously we all know that if the
4:42
dam were to fail of such a size the
4:44
consequences would be catastrophic and
4:46
truly disastrous I mean just imagine 10
4:48
trillion gallons of water gushing
4:50
Downstream it would produce a strong and
4:52
intense spouting sound of water breaking
4:54
everything on its way in a matter of few
4:56
minutes it could result in massive
4:57
Devastation in cities like Wuhan King
5:00
and shine high this would result in
5:02
unimaginable loss of life and widespread
5:04
destruction but the consequences are far
5:06
beyond the yangi River Basin which
5:09
supports 40% of China's economy and 15%
5:12
of global manufacturing would be
5:14
severely impacted disrupting countless
5:16
Industries and Supply chains worldwide
5:18
Additionally the Region's agriculture
5:20
crucial for feeding much of China would
5:22
be devastated potentially leading to a
5:24
humanitarian crisis so in short real bad
5:27
situation but you know what there's a
5:29
reason why all picturing the above
5:30
situation the possibility of the dam
5:32
collapsing or breaching exists due to
5:34
several stress factors these include the
5:36
immense pressure exerted by its large
5:38
Reservoir especially during periods of
5:40
heavy rainfall the dam has shown signs
5:42
of stress and deformation particularly
5:44
during the record floods of 2020 while
5:46
designed to handle significant water
5:48
flow the dam structural integrity and
5:50
the coordination among other dams
5:51
upstream and downstream are crucial
5:53
despite reassurances the Dam's ability
5:55
to manage severe floods remains
5:57
contentious highlighting the ongoing
6:01
we all know that in a desperate
6:02
situation the China authorities may do
6:04
anything to protect the structure even
6:06
if if it means drastic mayus for
6:08
Downstream population well they've been
6:10
doing this kind of stuff in the past and
6:12
their history has been known to try on
6:14
realistic agreement on professional
6:16
appra but yes any Dom is a complex
6:19
system and that's interacting with
6:21
highly Dynamic environment we all know
6:23
this but The Descent release water is
6:26
based on multiple factors including
6:28
rainfall and tensity Reserve ey levels
6:31
Downstream conditions and maybe forecast
6:34
such a it's a constant tenage well i'
6:37
also like to discuss the other side of
6:39
the picture that bad and Bets of a dam
6:41
it's just it's not just flood Stone
6:43
stream dam also impacts the Rivers's
6:46
ecosystem overall affecting bar
6:49
diversity sedimentation and water
6:52
quality the creation of a vast Reservoir
6:55
has led to changes in climate bath
6:58
patterns maybe potential influencing the
7:00
rainfall and evaporation great I know
7:03
you'd say that this is not the actual
7:05
picture and that's a political you know
7:07
sort of thing but uh you that's the
7:10
reason why Mara is all set to remove
7:12
some of its magad dams and I've made
7:14
another ready on that topic so make sure
7:16
to watch that for your reference it's
7:19
true that uh all dams disrupt a reverse
7:22
natural tbam and also like sedimentation
7:25
thing that's essential for Ming for dial
7:27
fed Plains and it's it strout behind
7:30
that Dam see in a nutshell the dam has
7:33
implications for Downstream ecosystems
7:36
ulture and I'd rather say that this is a
7:39
significant challenge for policy makers
7:41
and designers and they should look for
7:44
ways to come out with sustainable design
7:47
that can address future changes they
7:49
coming back to the tree Gara and them
7:52
the pressure on the spill is likely to
7:55
intensify that's for sure a more
7:57
frequent and severe extreme weather
7:58
Rance will test its resilience and
8:00
future who knows the question remains is
8:04
this non a sustainable solution or is it
8:06
a gamble with nature that will
8:10
costly well that's all uh for our
8:13
insights today I hope you enjoyed it if
8:16
so please Hit And subscribe to agenna
8:18
for more insightful efforts let me know