Mega Dams – Hydroelectric Evolution – Big Bigger Biggest

This film reveals the technological leaps forward that have allowed the world’s largest hydroelectric gravity dam, the Three Gorges Dam in China, to be built. The dam, that harnesses the power of China’s mighty Yangtze River, is over 2 kilometres long, towers over 60 storeys high, and creates a reservoir 600 kilometres in length. The concrete superstructure has a generating capacity of 22,500 megawatts of power, enough to supply electricity to 60 million people. At its peak over 25,000 men and women were working round the clock to make what was once Chairman Mao’s dream a reality.

The programme explores how this immense project was made possible through a series of five engineering breakthroughs. Six landmark dams, including the Hoover Dam in America, each feature a major technological innovation that allowed engineers to create bigger dams generating ever more hydroelectric power. Using computer-generated animation, we share the incredible stories behind these projects and the inventions that have allowed them to increase in scale. Six ingenious leaps forward that enabled dams to evolve, from BIG, to BIGGER, into the world’s BIGGEST.

00:00 Introduction
04:17 Power Generation – Debdon Dam
11:57 River Diversion – Marèges Dam
19:08 Concrete – Hoover Dam
24:45 Flood – Grand Coulee Dam
31:07 Shipping – Krasnoyarsk Dam
38:15 Sediment – Three Gorges Dam

Episode from the “Big Bigger Biggest” documentary series exploring the engineering breakthroughs that have enabled us to develop some of the largest structures in existence.

[notanetbanger]

Armstrong was a savage. Built an entire dam, ran thousands of pounds of copper, just for a couple of lights so he could have a few drinks with his buddies in his picture gallery.

[goldenretriever]

Well this is a *DAM* fine accomplishment

I’m *DAM* Proud to be part of a civilization that builds these structures

It’s a *DAM* good feeling

[Shrapnel]

Thank you for this documentary. Highly enlightening

[JKViho]

Dr. Andrews is a great chemist, love him!❤

[jampasurprenant]

Absolutely amazing engineering of megas dams, but what happens if a bigger earth quake.

[buffe-b]

22:42

"It actually took 5000 men 21 months to complete this dam (Hoover dam). It was completed 2 years ahead of schedule and under the budget"

Credit where it's due. We could learn a lot from this

[AgricultureTechUS]

Thank you for this documentary. very useful

[mediaone]

Loved watching this, Amazing the engineering involved in making these, truly impressed, plus the narration and animations were spot on 😊

[AgricultureTechUS]

I love this content. Absolutely amazing

[BryanChance]

A dam that's over 2 kilometers long? wow

[cuaruaocsen]

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[henrysantos]

Matatan.🤔. Ribirin HS,
Great, documentary well done

[ioanbota]

Wow its incredible realy I like this video

[china-trip]

My best friend, Great... We liked and enjoyed to the end. Thanks Have a happy day!

[TonyFarley-gicv]

Have you tried to measure to see if you got tree elevation or inside rotations

[RazelDiel-vhtp]

Wow! Very good and Beautiful excellent 😊💞

[Way_Hid]

You god Dam right! 😂
That's the biggest Dam I See, thanks for uploading this documentary!

[skinnybuddha]

I went on a private yacht through the Panama canal. Just out there when i didnt realize how awesome my life was and has become

[Barry.ONeill]

This has such a 00s vibe, had to made then

[ChainsawFPV]

Love how hydro electric is called "clean energy" when the process of making the dams is anything but