| Sanmenxia Dam | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location of Sanmenxia Dam in China | |
| Location | Sanmenxia |
| Coordinates | 34°49′46″N 111°20′41″E / 34.82944°N 111.34472°E |
| Construction began | 1957 |
| Opening date | 1960 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity |
| Impounds | Yellow River |
| Height | 106 m (348 ft) |
| Length | 713 m (2,339 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Sanmenxia Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 16,200,000,000 m3 (13,133,554 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 688,400 km2 (265,793 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 2,350 km2 (907 sq mi) |
| Maximum length | 246 km (153 mi) |
| Power Station | |
| Commission date | 1973–1975 |
| Turbines | 5 x 50 MW, 2 x 75 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 400 MW |
The Sanmenxia Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the middle-reaches of the Yellow River near Sanmenxia Gorge on the border between Shanxi province and Henan Province, China. The dam is multi-purpose and was constructed for flood and ice control along with irrigation, hydroelectric power generation and navigation. Construction began in 1957 and was completed in 1960. It is the first major water control project on the Yellow River and was viewed as a major achievement of the new People's Republic of China. Subsequently, its image was printed on the country's bank notes. However, due to sediment accumulation in the reservoir, the dam later had to be re-engineered and renovated. The effects from sediment, which include flooding upstream, have placed the dam at the center of controversy and criticism-related arrests by the Chinese government.