dam

There are 30 centimeters left before the Montejaque ghost dam becomes a very real problem

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At the beginning of the 20th century, getting light to the most remote towns in the Serranía de Ronda and Grazalema was an impossible mission. Despite “being close”, they were areas that could only be accessed with a lot of effort and any infrastructure became a logistical problem. It was at that time when the Sevillian Electricity Company decided to make a clean break: build a dam on the Gudares River and produce the energy (up to 20,000 kW) right there. They commissioned the work to a Swiss company and built an 83-meter concrete structure near Montejaque, in Malaga. Then they realized that it was tremendously stupid: the limestone soil in the area turned the reservoir into a sieve and, in the more than a hundred years since its construction, it has never been in use. Until now. Although “use” isn’t exactly the word. Because, in reality, what has happened is that, given the enormous amount of water that has fallen in the area in recent weeks, the dam has filled. Of course, this filling is relative: from the first moment the water has been filtering through the cat’s cavevery close to there. But, thanks to it, it has been possible to ‘laminate’ Gudares Avenue and control the flows. The problem is that, right now and for the first time since we have data, Montejaque is about to overflow. 30 centimeters away from it, in fact. A ghost dam filled to the brim? And draining as if there were no tomorrow: at a rate of 200 cubic meters per second. The images are not only spectacularbut (also) are completely unheard of. There were no clear precedents, but the system (using siphons, as opposed to the usual spillways) has been put into operation before it overtopped the dam. And now what? In principle, monitoring and preparation. The town councils of Jimera de Líbar and Benaoján they have evacuated 150 people and monitor both the Guadiaro riverbed and the Hundidero-Gato cave system. This dam system stands between the reservoir and the closest towns, but no one is very clear about what could happen: it is expected to collapse the possible flood, but it has never happened and the UME continues to monitor the situation for what may happen. Calm. That is the message most repeated by the authorities and, from what we know so far, it is justified. However, it shows that too often we forget what is in the bush. The Montejaque concession has already declined, but it is still there, converted into a tourist attraction. From now on it will also be the constant reminder that we have to rethink all our water infrastructures. Image | Ronnie Macdonald In Xataka | Andalusia anticipates the storm and has already canceled in-person classes and activated the UME. The doubt is placed on the workers

China has just completed the world’s tallest dam. And what stands out the least is that it is as tall as a skyscraper

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China has a beastly capacity to create pharaonic structures. Impossible roadshighways with infernal ‘knots’, very complex tunnels and one ridiculous amount of bridges so functional and essential to connect areas like ostentatious. But among all his civil engineering works, the ones that are most striking to me are the dams. And, after the largest in the world, now They have one that is as tall as a skyscraper. It is the Zhenjiang pumping stationand is key to adding even more renewable energy to your accountant. Figures. The name is “Zhenjiang/Jurong Pumping Station” and, located in Jiangsu province, it has become the latest milestone in Chinese energy engineering. The project began in 2017 and, as is customary in almost all of these infrastructures in the Asian giant, both its dimensions and construction times are surprising. In these eight years, they have built the highest pumping dam in the world, 182 meters high, equivalent to a 60-story building. Apart from the height, its volcano shape is striking, with a reservoir at the top capable of storing up to 17.07 million cubic meters of water. Context? What 6,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools have (okay, it’s equally difficult to imagine the number). Bowels. It’s not just imposing on the outside. Its engine room is 800 meters deep and has dimensions of 250 meters long, 60 meters high and another 25 meters wide. In this room are the six mixed turbines and, in total, the project has established a dozen records in the sector. Its role in renewables. It is estimated that the investment has been about 9.6 billion yuan, about 1.3 billion euros, and all to feed more than 360,000 homes. Each of the turbines generates 225 MW for a total of 1.3 GW of installed power. Thanks to both the dimensions of the turbines and the difference in level and force of the water, it is estimated that it will consume 1,800 million kWh annually during pumping and will generate 1,350 million kWh during discharge. It is a consumption/generation difference of 25% and, although it is not a figure that attracts attention, it is a milestone, since current pumping (or reversible) installations require hydraulic jumps of about 400 meters to operate under the same conditions. The turbines at the Zhenjiang plant do so with a head of less than 200 meters. That is, it is optimized for low gradient conditions, but maintaining a high volumetric flow. In summary, It’s like a giant battery, but with water. During low demand hours, the plant moves water to the upper reservoir and, during peak consumption, releases it, passing it through the turbines at high speed and generating electricity in the process. According to estimates, it will save 140,000 tons of coal per year, which represents 349,000 tons of CO₂. One more in the Yangtze. Despite everything the plant represents in terms of civil engineering and its role in renewablesthe greatest achievement of this plant is that it has been shown that it is possible to build massive storage systems if artificial elevations are created. In flat areas with unfavorable orography, Zhenjiang demonstrates that pumping structures can be created to help achieve decarbonization objectives without depending so much on wind and solar power. Wang Chenhui, director of the Development Department of State Grid Zhenjiang Power Supply Company -responsible for the dam-, assures that “at full operation it will provide approximately 2.7 million kilowatts of bidirectional power regulation capacity, relieving pressure on the electrical grid during peak load periods.” It will be more help for Jiangsu province than this summer consumed 6% more electricity than in 2024, reaching 156 million kilowatts. And also in the Yangtze are the mammoth dam of the Three Gorges and the next largest dam in the world. The one in Zhenjiang is not so huge nor does it generate as much electricity, but it is the highest in the world and, as we said, a demonstration that, if the terrain is not good, you can always build a huge pool at 190 meters high. Image | Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China In Xataka | China has built the highest bridge in the world and has done what it must: turn it into a show

China begins to build the largest dam in the world. His neighbors fear that they use it as a “water pump”

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The Pharaonic works They are not easy. Tell them The Linethe gigantic Horizontal skyscraper that he was confident years ago and that more and more and more. China, however, does not raise your foot from the accelerator and, every little time, it surprises us with some megaestructure. Now, and after a long planning, they have announced the beginning of the construction of the world’s largest hydroelectric dam. And neighboring countries have shouted in the sky for a reason: the possible use of water as a throwing weapon. A monster. China has the largest dam on the planet. The three throats is the largest energy plant in the worldit is so huge that GROUNDS EARTH ROTATION With a refueling, and it is estimated that it has a production capacity of 88.2 million MWH per year. Impressive, but will soon be in a second place because they are preparing an even bigger dam. A set of dams, rather. Located on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Lto new biggest in the world It will have the capacity to generate 300 million MWH per year, you can cover the energy needs of 300 million people each year and “only” will cost 130,000 million euros. That impressive capacity will be possible thanks both to your turbines as to the use of the energy generated by the two -kilometer unevenness presented by the river in certain areas and a construction with five cascade dams. “The project of the century”. The area is one of the richest in hydroelectric resources in the world, and the idea is to drill between four and six tunnels of 20 kilometers in length through a mountain to divert half of the river flow to achieve 2,000 m³ per second and take advantage of all that force. It will not be a simple operation due to the conditions of the area and at the cost of the project, and that is what has led to China’s prime minister to qualify it as “the project of the century”. As we read in The GuardianLi Qiang made the statements during a ceremony in the region to commemorate the beginning of a construction that was announced in 2020 and has Aroused numerous criticisms. Out of China, yes. Risks. First, for natural reasons. Is found in the Tibet area And it is one of the most regions seismically active of the planet. It is where the Indian and Eurasian plates contact and where numerous earthquakes are given every year, some with important magnitudes. In fact, a recent earthquake already damaged five hydroelectric dams in the area, and the weight of accumulated water itself is another factor that can trigger earthquakes, As has happened. On the other hand, human reasons. Apart from the consequences that an earthquake of that magnitude can have for the local population, it is not the first time that displaces a population to build a dam. These population movements is something that fear Tibetan groups that claim to have no visibility on the plans of the Chinese government. And, when they have complained about other hydroelectric projects in Tibet, they have been repressed by the authorities. The area could not be more geologically complicated. Either at the geopolitical level And geopolitics. India and Bangladés too They look at the dam With the arched eyebrow. He Brahmaputra It is essential for agriculture and access to drinking water of millions of people along the river and fear that dams seriously alter their flow. It is something that would directly affect the agriculture and food security of these people and already They drop That the project is a strategic tool from China to exert pressure on neighboring countries, by being able to control or modify water flow at will. Neeraj Singh Manhas is the special advisor for South Asia in the Parley Policy initiative (organization that seeks to solve conflicts through diplomacy) and in statements to BBCHe commented that “China can always use water as a weapon, blocking or diverting it.” Even if they do not do it on purpose, it would not be the first time that a accidentlike him collapse In cascade of the Banqiao dam and another 61 dams in 1975, an event that caused 85,000 direct deaths and displaced 11 million people. “Water pump”. In addition, it is something that can go against the direct interests of India, which aims to build a hydroelectric dam on the Sang River (one of those feeding on the Tsangpo). Apart from the fact that the flow of the river can affect the energy interests of India, there are voices that warn about the possible use of China as a “water pump.” PEMA KHANDU, Minister of Arunachal Pradesh -a state of the Republic of India -, commented In a recent interview that the dam “can cause an existential threat to our tribes and a half visa. It is quite serious because China could use this as a ‘water pump’. Suppose that, suddenly, they release water: all our Siang belt would be destroyed, finished with tribes that would see how all its properties would be destroyed”. Nothing to worry about. From the Chinese government have always been rejected Those criticisms, ensuring that they do not seek “water hegemony” or intend to get benefits at the expense of their neighbors. On the other hand, it is alleged not only that the project will generate employment in the region, but will cover the energy needs and encourage something that China is advancing by leaps and bounds: he Renewable sector. In addition, the Prime Minister said that these concerns about ecological conservation have been taken into account when planning the project to “avoid environmental damage.” We will see what it is, but it is evident that the dam will be built and the intention is that it is operational in record time: by 2030. Images | Yogho, Guganij In Xataka | China is moving whole buildings at the same time to build underneath. Because? Because it can

This is the almond dam

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Spain has 1,226 Dams for its geography. Or had them, since the last 20 years More than 100 have demolished. The objective is that the rivers return to their channels and the truth is that the majority of demolished dams were small, they did not fulfill their functions and They weren’t in operation. Of those that are still standing, the most imposing is between Salamanca and Zamora. This is the almond dama concrete giant that is not only the highest dam in Spain, but an intelligent electric battery. Concrete mole. Located on the Tormes River in Salamanca, Almendra’s is a colossal wall of 202 meters high and 567 meters long. Its construction was carried out between 1964 and 1970 and it was necessary to make an excavation at the height: 1.5 million cubic meters to house both the construction and the 8,650 hectares that would be covered by water. HE esteem that more than 2,400,000 cubic meters of concrete for its construction were used, being one of the most pharaonic works in the country, and with a cost that is difficult to determine. Between 4,000 million pesetas and 10,000 million, according to The newspapers of the time, which adjusted to inflation would be between 312 and 780 million euros. A straw in the Duero. The dam is of a vault type with double curvature and two side dikes that, if we include them in the dimensions of the “wall”, add up to a length of 3.5 kilometers. But a dam is much more than what is seen with the naked eye, and something fundamental in Almendra’s is the tube that connects with the Duero and with the hydroelectric power plant. It is a pressure gallery with a length of 15 kilometers and a diameter of 7.5 meters that was excavated in the rock and covered by more concrete. Towards the end, it is divided into two galleries five meters in diameter and, each, in two other 2.8 meters to increase water pressure. This gallery saves a 30 -meter unevenness and is the one that carries the water from the turbine reservoir of its associated hydroelectric plant, Villarino. Each group contains six turbines Francis r They work in a double way: they revolve to produce electricity, but they can also do it on the contrary to pump water. They can move 232,000 liters per second and is key to feedback with another large close reservoir: that of Aldeadávila in El Duero. Thus, Almendra’s is like a great reserve to contain the Duero in its floods, but it also supplies it in times of more drought. Leading the European Top-10. To put in context its importance, although compared to the rest of Spanish damsAlmendra’s is colossal, if we put the eye in Europe … it is not so much. Switzerland takes the palm in this regard, with dams such as Great Dixence 285 meters high. Georgia has that of Unguri with 271 meters high, but beyond that pair and two other Swiss dams (Mauvoisin and Luzzone), the rest of the list of the highest is starring Spanish dams. Almendra’s is fifth at European level and is followed by channels with 156 meters, Canelles With 151 meters, the As wells With its 141 meters, the Aldeadávila with 139 meters and that of Barasona With a height of 133 meters. An ocean. Although it is huge, its capacity is not the largest in the country. It doesn’t even come. Its reservoir has a capacity of more than 2,600 cubic hectometers, far from the 3,162 h3 of the Alcántara dam in Cáceres or the 3,220 h3 of the La Serena dam in Badajoz, which is not only the largest reservoir in Spain, but the third largest in Europe. And, like other reservoirs, Almendra’s allows the development of recreational activities, with hiking routes or maritime activities such as expeditions in kayak. But it is evident that the most important role of the dam is not to create an ocean in the middle of Castilla y León, but to generate electricity. Not so striking production. The huge turbines we described some lines allow the installed power of the plant to be 810 MW, which implies an annual production of more than 1,300 GWh. It is one of the dams that help Castilla y León be one of the communities with More installed power In renewable energies, but the years do not pass in vain and there are prey that are much more striking than those of Almendra in this area. With an installed power of 1,720 MW, that of Cortes-La Muela in Valencia has an annual production of more than 1,600 GWh. That of José María Oriol-Alcántara II In Cáceres it has 915 MW and a production of 1,750 GWh and that of Aldeadávila in Salamanca, with an installed power of 1.139 MW, it has an estimated production of 2,400 GWh per year. And there are already projects As a consecut II In Ourense with a power of 1,800 MW that will allow up to 4,000 GWh per year or the planned of Llumaigua in Tarragona that will have the whop of 3,124 MW with productions of between 4,160 GWh and 7,000 GWh, something that still is in the air. Demographic impact. But of course, next to the rivers there are usually peoples and, with 8,500 hectares of surface, it is evident that the reservoir took some ahead. The beginning of construction was an economic bubble for Villarino de los Aires and Almond. HE They built Villages to house workers and the population peak because it was evident. In 1970, Almendra had 807 registered inhabitants, Villarino had 2,130 registered. Both locations came from decades of gradual depopulation, so the dam meant an unusual demographic rebound. In 2024, Almendra had 130 inhabitants and Villarino of the air with 739, and in both cases, just after completing the work, the population reached the level prior to it, which has also been decreasing aggravated with the rural depopulation of … Read more

Some beavers have built a dam that had been postponed for seven years

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While in Spain we have A kind of rural thriller With the appearance of very particular animals for the country’s rivers, there are other stories that tell the importance of this family of creatures In the ecosystem around the floods and settlements of civilizations. We refer to the beavers and Your ability to build natural dams that helped moderate the force of floods. His last work has raised them. A paralyzed project. For seven years, the Government authorities of the BRDY region in the Czech Republic tried to carry out A project to build a dam on the Klabava Riverlocated about 40 kilometers southwest of Prague. Its purpose was to protect the local ecosystem, especially to a kind of crab in critical danger of extinctionpreventing sediments and acid from two nearby ponds from contaminating the river. However, the project, Approved in 2018 with more than one million dollars in financing and with all the necessary permits, it was paralyzed Due to prolonged negotiations on the use of land that had previously served as a military training field. And then the beavers arrived. Beesters to the rescue. While bureaucracy delayed construction, a group of beavers advanced to humans and, without waiting for permits or studies, built a series of dams naturally. His intervention not only solved the problem by which the authorities had planned the dam, but also expanded the wetland area to almost 20,000 square meterstwice what engineers had projected. It is not a trivial event. We are talking about a spontaneous work of creatures that saved the authorities approximately 1.2 million eurosas reported The Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic. Natural engineers. As we said at the beginning, beavers are known for Its extraordinary construction and landscape modification capacity. To build their dams, they begin by placing small stones in the riverbed, compacting them with mud and repeating the process to form a pond, a space that Then they expand to create a wetland. Why do the hell do this? Researchers believe that Your main motivation is security: They are excellent swimmers capable of enduring up to 15 minutes underwater, but on land they are quite clumsy and vulnerable to predators such as bears, wolves and pumas. In this way, building an aquatic habitat allows them to take refuge from any threat. And it is not the first time. Surprisingly, the case of the Czech Republic is not the first in which animals have taken the initiative in conservation projects. In California, the beavers helped Restore a flood plain to the northeastern Sacramentogenerating ecological benefits and Saving money to the authorities. And in Idaho, After the Sharps fire, the areas where there were beavers were intact and greenwhile the surroundings were devastated. In places where its introduction is prohibited, as in some areas of California, groups such as the Yurok tribe They have begun to build structures that imitate the dikes of Castores to attract them naturally and take advantage of their benefits. In Oregon, scientists discovered that Castor’s dams They leaked heavy metals and contaminants with double efficacy that an expensive stormwater treatment plant. The “but”. However, and As we have counted recently in Spaindespite their enormous contribution to the regeneration of ecosystems, the beavers are often seen as a discomfort due to the damage that causes trees and crops, as well as the possibility of flooding fields and roads. The resurgence of the beavers. Eurasian beavers were hunted almost until extinction in Europe, but they have been reintroduced in several regions, including the Czech Republic. Scientist journalist Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matterstressed that beavers have helped humanity for centuries, and that the recent history of the Czech Republic is a sign of how these animals can solve environmental problems efficiently. He had National Geographic Gerhard Schwabexpert in beales in Bavaria, who is not surprised at the effectiveness of rodents, although he doubts that the ” last January. However, it recognizes its extraordinary ability to transform the landscape and modify the flow of water. The conservation dilemma. It is possibly the last of the legs to deal with these creatures. Despite its impressive engineering capacity, the unpredictability of the beavers represents a challenge for conservation projects. In this regard, He explained to New York Times Emily FairfaxProfessor of Ecology at the University of Minnesot Its constructions cannot be planned with precision and many times they are considered an invasive species. It is possible, therefore, that this tendency to underestimate its positive impact has led to their actions to go unnoticed or directly ignored in the planning of environmental projects. That said, more and more studies and specific cases show that His role in wetland restoration is invaluable. Allowing these creatures to act freely, instead of intervening with artificial and expensive solutions, could represent a natural and sustainable alternative for the conservation of water ecosystems. Image | Timothy G. Lumley In Xataka | After missing centuries, there are people letting goals for the Tajo and other rivers in Spain. The problem is that we don’t know who

China is raising an unprecedented dam where millions of people live. The problem is seismic activity

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Before finishing 2024 we advanced what was known about China’s last megonstruction. Actually, we could not talk about “another” as if it were something else in a long list, because it is possibly one of the most ambitious projects that are reminded of the nation: a super prey so monumental that would leave The three throats relegated to the background, producing three times more energy than the spectacular structure of more than two kilometers long. Of course, there is some problem. The superpress. It is a reality: China advances with the construction of the Motuo Superpress in Tibetan unprecedented infrastructure project that, if completed, will become the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world taking advantage of an abrupt slope of 2,800 meters, exceeding the capacity of the three throats dam (currently the biggest in the world). Located in The Grand Canyon of Yarlung Tsangpoon the border with India, the dam has aroused environmental, geopolitical and humanitarian concerns, especially due to the lack of transparency of Beijing about its development. Experts warn that the project represents a “water pump” for millions of people in India and Bangladesh. Seismic risks. The Tibet is One of the most seismically active regions on the planetit has been known for a long time because it is located in the collision of the Indian plaque and the Euroasy Plate. In fact, a recent 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Shigatse It caused damage to five hydroelectric dams and the death of 134 people, demonstrating how vulnerable infrastructure in the region is. Although Motuo’s work can be designed to withstand earthquakes, landslides and mud alluds could serve as a fuse and unleash, representing a direct threat to nearby populations. We speak, again, millions of people. This risk is aggravated by the phenomenon of Seismicity induced by reservoirs (RTS)where the weight of accumulated water in large dams can trigger earthquakes. An example is the zipingpu damwhose construction was followed by Sichuan’s devastating earthquake in 2008 which charged 87,000 lives. In addition, sediment retention by the dam could reduce the fertility of the soil downstream, causing erosion in the rivers and coasts of India and Bangladesh. Gran_Cañón Yarlung Tsangpo Environmental impact. The dam too would alter the water and climatic patterns Crucial for agriculture in the region. The Tibet, where Brahmaputra is born, is one of the most biodiverse regions of the world and a key regulator of Asian climate. The construction of the superpress could, for example, alter the monsoon rainfallwith devastating effects for agriculture in India and Bangladesh. In addition, the ecological impact of Chinese megaemblses is already evident in other international rivers, Like the Mekong, where the dams have caused droughts recurring and the intrusion of salt water in agricultural deltas. Impact between the premises and (des) information. It is another leg that must tie the project. The Tibet is under a strong control of the Chinese Communist Party, so the magnitude of the displacement of Tibetans that will require the work is not known. In this regard, Beijing has not revealed details about costs (It is estimated that total investment will exceed 130,000 million euros), The companies involved or the number of people who will be relocated. And if we are guided by other cases in Chinese provinces, protests against hydroelectric projects have been repressedit is suggested that any opposition in the Tibet will be silenced. Geopolitics of a superpress. He Brahmaputrawhich flows to India and Bangladesh, is a vital artery for millions of people. Again, that lack of Chinese transparency has generated distrust in New Delhi and Daca, whose scientists have demanded access to hydrological data to evaluate the risks of the work. India, meanwhile, Fears China use river control as a geopolitical weaponrestricting or diverting the flow in case of conflicts. Thus, and in the face of uncertainty, some Indian officials have proposed an alternative: Build a dam in a Brahmaputra tributary to counteract possible flow reductionsalthough this solution does not seem ideal and could also harm the ecology of the region. Imminent risk. Nikei had this week That the possibility of a catastrophic collapse is not a simple speculation. China has suffered hundreds of dam failures throughout its historyincluding the worst disaster ever registered: The collapse in cascade of the Banqiao dam And another 61 dams in 1975, an event that caused 85,000 direct deaths and displaced 11 million people. Even The three throats dam was on the verge of collapse in 2020endangering 400 million people. Therefore, if a strong earthquake hit the region and cause the rupture of the superpress, Millions of people in the Brahmaputra Valley in India and Bangladesh could be affected by catastrophic floods, aggravating. In addition, geopolitical and humanitarian tensions in the region. If you want also, it is feasible to think that with this mega -Obra, China would not only reinforce its control over the water resources of Asia, but also converting Brahmaputra into a geopolitical weaponincreasing their pressure capacity over their neighbors. Image | Harvey BarrisonNASA In Xataka | China prepares the most expensive megaestructure on the planet: a hydroelectric power plant on the most controversial place possible In Xataka | The three throats dam is so huge that it has caused something unexpected: extending the days of the earth

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