Published : 06/11/2024

On November 6, 2002, the Three Gorges Dam project achieved full flow interception.

The interception ceremony began at 9:05 a.m. on that day. After Wu Bangguo (吳邦國), the then Vice Premier of the State Council, issued the order to intercept the river, the upstream and downstream cofferdam gaps of the diversion channel began to be fully occupied.

Subsequently, giant trucks continuously dumped materials at the closure gaps upstream and downstream, including 346 steel cage stones with dimensions of 2.5 metres in length, width, and height, each weighing 25 tonnes, over 1,000 flexible alloy net stone cages weighing 10 tonnes each, etc.

These materials were accurately placed at designated positions, firmly occupying the bottom of the river to form two solid underwater stone ridges.

At 9:48 a.m., after the last batch of materials was dumped at the diversion channel gap, the Yangtze River water was diverted to flow through the diversion tunnels at the bottom of the north bank dam downstream.

After the diversion channel was blocked, a "tough battle" was still needed.

Firstly, it would take about a month to complete the earth and stone cofferdam filling, build a 20,000 cubic metre anti-seepage wall, and simultaneously pump out the water from the cofferdam to form the foundation pit.

Then, within three and a half to four months, three-stage roller compacted concrete cofferdams would be constructed on-site.