Panoramic photo taken with a mobile phone on July 7, 2020 shows a view of water gushing out from spillways at Xin'an River Reservoir in east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
The Xin'an River reservoir in east China's Zhejiang opened spillways for the first time in nine years on Tuesday to lower the crest of the floods.
HANGZHOU, July 8 (Xinhua) -- The Xin'an River Reservoir, an important flood control project in the upper reaches of the Qiantang River, opened spillways for the first time in nine years on Tuesday to lower the crest of the floods.
This is also the seventh time spillways of the reservoir were opened to release floodwaters since it was built in the 1950s.
Water gushes out from spillways at Xin'an River Reservoir in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
The Xin'an River Reservoir is more commonly known as Qiandao Lake. It is the main source of drinking water for Zhejiang and serves as a strategic reservoir for the Yangtze River Delta. The Qiantang River is the largest river in Zhejiang and is known for having the world's largest tidal bore.
Staff members work at the main control room at Xin'an River hydropower station in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
As of 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the water level of Xin'an River Reservoir, an important flood control project in the upper reaches of the Qiantang River, had reached 108.05 meters, exceeding the normal water storage level. The water level will continue to rise and is expected to reach a record high, said the provincial flood control authorities.
Water gushes out from spillways at Xin'an River Reservoir in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
"Due to heavy downpours and floods in the upstream Anhui province, the water level of the lake rose rapidly and had exceeded the flood limited water level," said Zheng Chaohong, deputy director of the local water conservancy bureau.
"Weather forecasts showed that heavy rain will persist in areas around the reservoir in the next three days, and there's a risk of flooding even when the hydropower station runs at full capacity, so we decided to open the spillways," said Zheng.
A staff member checks facilities at Xin'an River hydropower station in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
A staff member walks by spillways at Xin'an River Reservoir in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
A staff member works at the generator room at Xin'an River hydropower station in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
Water gushes out from spillways at Xin'an River Reservoir in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
The reservoir has a total of nine spillways, each can discharge water at a rate of 500 cubic meters per second. Five spillways had been opened as of Tuesday noon. Seven spillways opened at 4 p.m.
Water gushes out from spillways at Xin'an River Reservoir in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
Water gushes out from spillways at Xin'an River Reservoir in east China's Zhejiang Province, July 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)■
