Zipingpu Dam, Embankment dam and hydroelectric power station in Dujiangyan, China

The Zipingpu Dam is an embankment dam crossing the Min River that generates electricity through turbines for regional supply. The structure uses concrete and rock materials in its construction to create a large water barrier.

The dam was built on the Min River at Dujiangyan between March 2001 and December 2006, impounding its reservoir in December 2004 and starting power generation in May 2005. Its site had been developed during the Shu-Han period nearly 2,000 years earlier, upstream of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in use since 256 BC. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake cracked the dam; repairs were completed in August 2008.

The name Zipingpu comes from Ziping village in Zipingpu town, formerly called Baisha. The project was one of ten major works of China's Western Development campaign and was listed as Sichuan's No. 1 project. It is managed by the Sichuan Zipingpu Development Company, and the reservoir area covers 18.16 km².

The site has viewing areas where visitors can observe the structure from nearby Dujiangyan city with straightforward access. The best time to visit is during clear weather when views of the dam and surrounding landscape are clearest.

A major earthquake in the region caused cracks in the dam walls, leading to temporary drainage of the reservoir for repairs. These emergency measures revealed how modern structures must withstand natural forces in this seismic area.