Water traffic halted for Yangtze shiplock maintenance

Water traffic was suspended for eight hours on Friday after shiplocks along the southern route of the Yangtze River's Three Gorges Dam underwent a routine maintenance, navigation authorities said.

Traffic was halted from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday to ensure undisturbed maintenance of the shiplocks, the Yangtze Three Gorges Navigation Authority based in Yichang City, central Hubei Province, said in a press release.

It said the maintenance was a success and traffic resumed shortly after it was completed.

Water traffic was not interrupted on the northern route.

The Three Gorges project is a multi-functional water control system, consisting of a 2,309-meter-long and 185-meter-high dam, a five-tier ship lock on the north and south, and 26 hydropower turbo-generators.

The project generates electricity, controls floods by storing excess water and helps to regulate the river's shipping capacity.

Routine maintenance is necessary to ensure the project's sound operation. In 2012, water traffic was suspended for 19 days on the northern route for shiplocks checkup and maintenance. Endi