Ertan Dam & Lake
二滩水电站
A 240 m double-curvature concrete arch dam on the Yalong River. When completed, it was among China’s largest hydropower stations, with expansive views of its high-gorge lake.
Ertan Hydropower Station lies on the lower Yalong River, about 40 km north of Panzhihua urban area. Its dam is a 240 m high concrete double-curvature arch dam, fully commissioned in 1999. It was among the largest hydropower stations built in China in the 20th century. Upstream, the dam forms the Ertan Lake, more than 100 km long, where the gorge and the water surface complement each other. When the floodgates open to release water in flood season, mist rises into the air, a spectacular sight. The dam area is a production zone, so visitors can generally only view it from designated lookouts, and any tours follow the power station’s arrangements. It is recommended to combine a visit with a day trip to Ertan National Forest Park.
Opening hours
Viewpoint open all day (dam visits per power station schedule)
Nearby sights
- Ertan National Forest Park
- Zhuanxu Dragon Cave, Miyi
- Daheishan Forest Park
- Panzhihua Park
- Panzhihua Cycad National Nature Reserve
- Panzhihua Development & Construction Memorial Hall
- Ashuda Flower Park
- China Third Front Construction Museum