Located in Sandouping Of the Xiling Gorge, the proposed site of the Three gorges Dam is 38 km upstream from the Gezhouba Project. It is an exceptionally large water conservancy scheme possessing enormous, comprehensive utilization benefits for flood control, power generation, navigation, breeding of aquatic products and water supply.

The project is to consist of a large dam across a river, hydro electric power station and navigation structures. It is to adopt a program of "one-cascade development of the stretch from Chongqing to Sandoupsng, finishing the project construction once to the final scope, storing water step by step, and resettling the people persistently." Theelevation of the dam crest is 185 meters above sea level. Its normal water storage level is 175 meters and total storage capacity is 39.3 billion cubic meters, with flood-control storage capacity of 22.15 billion cubic meters. The power station would install 26 sets of power generating units, with a total installed capacity of 17680 MW and an annual output of 84 billion kwh, The navigation structure's annual one-way passage capacity would be 50 million tons. About 650 km of channels would be upgraded.

A. The most benefits water control project in the world.

Yangtze Three Gorges Water Control Project is the comprehensive functions project. Flood control, hydropower, and ship are the main three benefits of it. It is listed advanced water control project and no similar scale as it in the world.

1. The world's largest water conservancy project with the biggest flood-control capability.

The total storage capacity of the reservoir is 39.3 billion m3, of which 22.15 m3 is for flood control. After the completion of the TGP,The flood -discharging capacity of the Yangtze river would be 27,000 to 33,000 m3 /s, thus the floods from the upstream reaches of the Yangtze River could be controlled and the middle and lower reaches of the river, especially in Jinjiang reaches could be regulated or relieved.

2. The world's largest hydropower station.

The total installed capacity of the Three Gorges Hydropower Station is 18,200 MW with an annual electricity output of 84.68 billion KW/h.

3. The most benefits of shipping.

The water in three gorges reservoir rises back to Chongqing city. It would improve the navigation conditions among 650 kilometers. From Chongqing to Yichang, the permission of sailing ships with 3000 ton would increase to 10,000 ton.

B. The world's largest water conservancy project with the world's largest project construction scale.

Yangtze Three Gorges Project would be the largest construction scale in the world.

1. The world's largest water conservancy project with the world's largest project building scale.

The total length of the dam axis is 2309.37 meters. The spillway section, which is located in the middle of the river course,is 483 meters long in total.There are 26 sets of turbine generator units in total, 700 MW for each.The shiplock is schemed out as a double-way and five-step lock. It is the world's largest water conservancy project with the world's largest project building scale.

2. The world's largest water conservancy project with the biggest project workload.

The earth-rock excavation of the main structure of the project is 134 million m3 and the concrete placement is 27.94 million m3. The installation of reinforcing bar and metal structure is 463 thousand ton and 256.5 thousand ton respectively.

3.The world's largest water conservancy project with the biggest construction difficulty.

the concrete placement of the TGP in 2000 is 5.4817 million m3, 550 thousands m3 for each month, which created a new world record .It is the world's largest water conservancy project being built with the biggest construction difficulty.

4.The world's largest water conservancy project with the strongest flood-discharge capability in the world.

The maximum flood -discharge capacity of the spillway is 102.5 thousands m3/s, which ranks the top one in the world.

5.The world's largest water conservancy project with the biggest and the most complicated shiplift in the world.

The shiplift is designed as one stage vertical hoisting type with a maximum hoisting distance of 113 meters.the ship container of the shiplift is in a size of 120*18*3.5 m,capable of carrying 3,000 tons of passenger or cargo boat each time.It is the biggest and the most complicated shiplift in the world.

C. The world's largest water conservancy project with the world's largest and the most arduous resettlement.

The total number of the migrants to be resettled of the reservoir area of the TGP may reach 1.13 million by the end, It is the largest and the most arduous resettlement project in the world.

Some facts about the Three Gorges project:

• Project expected to take 17 years; completion expected in 2009.
  
• An estimated 250,000 workers are involved in the project.
• The Three Gorges Reservoir will inundate 632 square kilometers (395 square miles) of land.
• An estimated 1.2 million people will be resettled by the dam.
• The project's 26 hydropower turbines are expected to produce 18.2 million kilowatts, up to one-ninth of China's output.
• The amount of concrete totals 26.43 million cubic meters, twice that of the Itaipu project in Brazil, currently the world's largest hydroelectric dam.