Xiaowan Dam

The Xiaowan dam on the Mekong River, which is called Lancang in China, is a large dam in southwest China's Yunnan Province and since its completion, the second highest dam after the Nurek Dam. She is also the highest dam and also the highest arch dam.

The dam was built to generate electricity, irrigation and navigability of the Mekong in the dry season from November to May. The project is the second largest dam project in China after the Three Gorges Dam. The dam is located southwest of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in a ravine in the administrative territory of the prefecture-level city of Lincang. A variety of people were resettled. Therefore, and for reasons of environmental protection, there were many opponents of the project.

Construction is differently specified with 2001 or 2003, the completion was 2010. Estimated construction cost should be 30 billion yuan or 2.7 to 4 billion U.S. dollars. The hydroelectric power plant of the Xiaowan dam has a capacity of 4200 MW. The electricity generated is exported partly to Thailand.

The " Western Development Program" includes a cascade of eight dams on a distance of 800 km.

The Xiaowan dam is above the Manwan Dam and will reduce the sludge load, which can silt up the reservoir Manwan already. But all eight dams will get sooner or later difficulties with the silting.