Three Gorges Dam to face largest flood peak

YICHANG - The Three Gorges Dam will experience its largest flood peak this year on Tuesday, the Yangtze River flood control and drought relief headquarters said Monday.

The dam will experience water flow rates as high as 70,000 cubic meters per second at 8 pm Tuesday, the headquarters said Monday. The flow rate has gradually increased since Sunday evening and is expected to keep climbing, as rain has been forecast for the upper reaches of the river.

The flow rate will be the same as that of a July 2010 flood peak that marked the highest peak experienced by the dam since it began operation.

Regular discharges have kept water levels on the dam's reservoir at 156 meters, the headquarters said.