Zipingpu Dam

The Zipingpu Dam ( Chinese:紫坪铺 水利 枢纽) is a dam in the southwest of the People 's Republic of China, which was completed in 2006 at the Min Jiang above the town of Dujiangyan in Sichuan. It is used for water supply, hydropower production and irrigation. The hydroelectric power plant consists of four generators with a combined capacity of 760 MW. The CFR dam has a height of 156 meters; the reservoir holds 315 million cubic meters of water ( according to other sources 11,108 million m³). It complements the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

2008 earthquake

The earthquake on May 12, 2008 in Sichuan occurred very close to the dam. The epicenter was located only 5 km away. The quake caused some damage to the dam, which then had some cracks and other damage. Several thousand soldiers have repaired the cracks on 14 May. However, the dam should not have been in danger.

In professional circles it was discussed that the impoundment of the reservoir could have its weight produces or promotes the earthquake. One speaks in such a case of an induced earthquake. An example is the series flatter and smaller earthquakes which occurred during the impoundment of the Hoover Dam in the United States. Sichuan earthquake, however, occurred in about 19 miles deep and occurred in a zone that can also look back before the establishment of the dam on a long tradition in part catastrophic earthquake. From professionals the possibility of an induced earthquake is rather negative. The main counter-arguments are:

• The back mirror was removed before the earthquake rather low and far from full back.
• At other dams, where it has been in the past induced tremor, their strength was always lower ( up to 100 cases).