Experts call for more tech use in dam construction

Prominent experts and officials from China and abroad have urged greater use of digital and information technologies to enhance the role of dams in climate mitigation and adaptation, as water-related extreme weather events become increasingly frequent and severe.

They made the remarks on Monday at an international symposium held on the sidelines of the 28th International Commission on Large Dams Congress and the 93rd Annual Meeting in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. The symposium was themed "Common Challenges, Shared Future, Better Dams".

Michel Lino, president of ICOLD, highlighted the critical role of dams in addressing global challenges.

"We are facing common challenges," he said. "Whether it is climate change, aging infrastructure, water scarcity, environmental pressure or extreme events, they are not isolated to one country or one region. They transcend borders and demand global cooperation, collective responsibility and coordinated solutions." He stressed the importance of precautionary management of dams and river basins in the face of climate change.

Hydropower, if managed sustainably, will continue to be a key pillar of the global clean energy portfolio, he added.

However, Lino warned that the engineering standards of traditional dam design and construction are now being tested by emerging risks, including more intense floods driven by climate change.

His views were echoed by Wang Baoen, China's vice-minister of water resources, who said reservoirs play an "irreplaceable" role in defending against floods and droughts, optimizing water resource allocation, revitalizing ecosystems and ensuring clean energy supply.

"But in the face of increasingly extreme weather events, the growing impact of human activities and the rapid advancement of socioeconomic development, humanity is confronted with significant global challenges in ensuring the high-quality development and safety of reservoirs," Wang said.

He noted that aging dams and reservoirs worldwide are facing growing risks due to more frequent and variable extreme weather events, compounding existing safety hazards. This highlights the need for greater international cooperation, experience sharing and technological exchange in dam and reservoir management, he said.

To address these challenges, China has ramped up efforts to modernize dam and reservoir management through the integration of information technologies. The move has greatly improved the informatization, precision and modernization of dam safety oversight, Wang said.

China is also advancing the development of "digital twins" for water resource infrastructure — virtual models that replicate the behavior and performance of physical systems — as a cutting-edge solution to improve dam design, operations and risk management.

Wang said China is committed to sharing its approaches and experience with the global community, expressing hope that international cooperation can help build consensus on digital twin construction and promote greater digitalization, connectivity and intelligence in dam management worldwide.

"Let's join hands to confront global climate risks and challenges by establishing a framework for river ethics and advancing the concept of smart dams," he said.

"This will help promote more effective global dam governance and inject new ideas and technological momentum into water resources management worldwide."

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn