The development and characteristics of high dams construction in China are introduced. The scientific and technological achievements and their application in geologic exploration, dam construction, flood discharging and energy dissipation, treatment of dam foundation and treatment of high rock slope, etc. , are also described. The developing trends of high dams in the future are presented and the key research works on science and technology of high dams are indicated.

According to the incomplete statistical data, about 24 000 dams over 15 min height have been constructed, and there are 16 dams with height over 150 m to be completed or under construction. They in elude the 181 m-high concrete gravity dam in the Three Gorges Project, the 240 m — high Ertan double curvature concrete arch dam, the 178 m- high Tianshenqiao No. 1 CFRD, the 182 m- high Hongjiadu CFRD, the 233 m~high Shuibuya CFRD, the 130 m- high Shapai RCC arch dam, the 131 m- high Jiangya RCC gravity dam, etc.