Three Gorges Dam

Middle School students in April took a three day trip to see the largest hydroelectric dam in the world!  We arrived at our 4-star hotel in time for a wonderful dinner. In the evening after dinner, we were honored to learn about the history of flooding, choosing the location to build, and challenges of constructing the dam from Professor Yifade, who had worked as a senior engineer on the project for many years.  The next morning, he taught us about the three main construction purposes of flood control, electricity generation, and navigation. The students then built miniature models of the dam. Next, we visited the Three Gorges Exhibition Center where there were many models to demonstrate the inner workings and construction processes of the various sections at dam site.  After lunch, the students and teachers finally went to the dam itself. It is a majestic and impressive marvel of engineering. 32 turbine generators produce 22,500 MW of power, flooding is controlled for the Yangtze river basin which is home to one-third of China’s population, and navigation up or down a 181m difference in elevation is attainable by either locks or a lift!  Students were able to view each section of the dam site, including a park honoring the workers who built the dam. The final morning was spent at the nearby historic Huangling temple which was built in memory of Dayu’s great achievements in water controlling, and witnessed the great flood. Wahaha teachers also gave evening lessons about the dam relating to history, math, and science.  It was an incredible and unforgettable learning experience!!