Foreword

Table of contents

Water is the source of life. Through the continuous development and utilization of water resources, human beings have created today's civilization. China has witnessed rapid development over years. It is a principal goal to support the socio-economic development by the sustainable development of water resources. Flood control and disaster mitigation, securing safe drinking water, and how to improve ecosystem, protect environment and obtain clean and low cost power by making the best use of hydropower are key issues and challenges confronting the country in the future.

With over 50 years practice in dam construction, China has rich successful experience in hydropower development; 100-meter-high dams, 200-meter-high dams and even 300-meter-high dams have been constructed gradually, and dam construction has played an important role in the process of China's economic and social development. By the end of 2008, there are over 80,000 large and small scale reservoirs in China, in which 5340 dams completed or under construction are higher than 30m. China is facing challenging issues related to safety and rehabilitation of old dams. Along with the development of water resources and hydropower considering global climate change and urbanization, there is still a long way to go for dam construction and management in China.

To review the past and look ahead, Chinese National Committee on Large Dams has organized to compile series of books “State of the Art – Dam Construction in China” from 2006 and Large Dam in China- A fifty year review. As part of the series, “Current Activities- Dam Construction in china” has been complied, including the outputs of the International Seminar on Earthquake and Dam Safety in March, 2009 in China organized By CHINCOLD and ICOLD Committee on Seismic, some articles on performance and investigation of dam projects in Wenchuan Earthquake Area, introduction of representative hydropower projects completed and under construction in recent years, aims to introduce the development and achievement on different types of dam construction in China and state policies on environmental protection so as to provide references for worldwide professionals in water sector to know more about China.

Chinese National Committee on Large Dams
May 18, 2009