Liujiaxia Reservoir
Encyclopedia
The Liujiaxia Reservoir is a reservoir in China's Gansu
Province, formed by the Liujiaxia Dam
on the Yellow River
. It occupies over 130 square kilometre, and is located entirely within Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture
, between Yongjing County (the narrow northern part, and the north shore of the wide southern part), Dongxiang Autonomous County
(eastern part of the south shore), Linxia County (western part of the south shore), and Jishishan Bonan, Dongxiang and Salar Autonomous County
(the small westernmost section of the south shore).
The Daxia River
and the Tao River
fall into the reservoirs, forming wide bays.
The water level in Liujiaxia Reservoir is usually reported as 1735 m (5,692 ft) above the sea level, but in practice it varies significantly, in accordance with the water flow and human needs.
The initial capacity of the reservoir was 5.7 km³ (1.4 cu mi), but after 10 years it lost 10% of its capacity due to silting, and after 17 years, 17.4%. This silting rate is considered quite low, compared to other reservoirs on the Yellow River, such as the narrow Yanguoxia Reservoir just downstream, which lost 71.3% of its storage capacity between 1958 and 1964 (and 77%, by 1965), or Sanmenxia Reservoir, which lost 96% of its storage capacity to sedimentation in just 4 years.
The reservoir usually does not freeze over in winter, but during the unusually cold weather in early 2008
over half of its surface froze, which necessitated taking measures to protect the turbines of the hydroelectric plant from floating ice.
A variety of watercraft operate on the reservoir. Vehicle ferries run frequently across the reservoir between docks in Linxia County (Lianhua Tai) and Yongjing County, providing a shorter and more pleasant route for travel between Linxia City and Liujiaxia Town than China National Highway 213
does. Recreational vessels and shuttle boats to Bingling Temple
operate from a number of docks, in particular the one in Liujiaxia Town near the dam.
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
Province, formed by the Liujiaxia Dam
Liujiaxia Dam
The Liujiaxia Dam is a major hydroelectric dam on the upper Yellow River, in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of China's Gansu Province. The dam and its hydroelectric facility are located in Liujia Gorge, or Liujiaxia , just downstream from the fall of the Tao River into the Yellow River...
on the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
. It occupies over 130 square kilometre, and is located entirely within Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture
Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture
Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture is in Western China's Gansu Province, south of the capital, Lanzhou. It is an autonomous prefecture for the Muslim Hui people, a large Chinese ethnic group. It also includes two autonomous counties for other Muslim groups, namely Dongxiang, Salar, and...
, between Yongjing County (the narrow northern part, and the north shore of the wide southern part), Dongxiang Autonomous County
Dongxiang Autonomous County
Dongxiang Autonomous County is an Autonomous County in the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, province of Gansu of the People's Republic of China. With ethnic minority of the Dongxiang.- Tangwangchuan :...
(eastern part of the south shore), Linxia County (western part of the south shore), and Jishishan Bonan, Dongxiang and Salar Autonomous County
Jishishan Bonan, Dongxiang and Salar Autonomous County
Jishishan Bonan, Dongxiang and Salar Autonomous County is a Autonomous County in the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, province of Gansu of the People's Republic of China....
(the small westernmost section of the south shore).
The Daxia River
Daxia River
The Daxia River is a tributary of the Yellow River in southern Gansu Province in China's far west.The Daxia River starts in the northern part of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, where its drainage basin covers large parts of Hezuo County-level City and Xiahe County...
and the Tao River
Tao River
Tao River is a right tributary of China's Yellow River. It starts in Xiqing Mountains near the Gansu-Qinghai border, flows eastward across Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and then northward more or less along the border between Dingxi Prefecture-level City in the east and Gannan and Linxia...
fall into the reservoirs, forming wide bays.
The water level in Liujiaxia Reservoir is usually reported as 1735 m (5,692 ft) above the sea level, but in practice it varies significantly, in accordance with the water flow and human needs.
The initial capacity of the reservoir was 5.7 km³ (1.4 cu mi), but after 10 years it lost 10% of its capacity due to silting, and after 17 years, 17.4%. This silting rate is considered quite low, compared to other reservoirs on the Yellow River, such as the narrow Yanguoxia Reservoir just downstream, which lost 71.3% of its storage capacity between 1958 and 1964 (and 77%, by 1965), or Sanmenxia Reservoir, which lost 96% of its storage capacity to sedimentation in just 4 years.
The reservoir usually does not freeze over in winter, but during the unusually cold weather in early 2008
2008 Chinese winter storms
The 2008 Chinese winter storms（2008年中国雪灾、2008年中国南方雪灾）are a series of winter storm events that affected large portions of southern and central China starting on 25 January 2008 until 6 February 2008. The systems affected most of the area with heavy snows, ice and cold temperatures causing extensive...
over half of its surface froze, which necessitated taking measures to protect the turbines of the hydroelectric plant from floating ice.
A variety of watercraft operate on the reservoir. Vehicle ferries run frequently across the reservoir between docks in Linxia County (Lianhua Tai) and Yongjing County, providing a shorter and more pleasant route for travel between Linxia City and Liujiaxia Town than China National Highway 213
China National Highway 213
China National Highway 213 runs from Lanzhou in Gansu to Mohan in Yunnan. It is 2827 kilometres in length and runs via Chengdu, Sichuan and Kunming, Yunnan.-Route and distance:...
does. Recreational vessels and shuttle boats to Bingling Temple
Bingling Temple
The Bingling Temple is a series of grottoes filled with Buddhist sculpture carved into natural caves and caverns in a canyon along the Yellow River. It lies just north of where the Yellow River empties into the Liujiaxia Reservoir...
operate from a number of docks, in particular the one in Liujiaxia Town near the dam.