On 10 October, the water level at the Three Gorges Dam reached 170 metres, only five metres below the target of 17 5 metres. Reports from The Three Gorges Administration said that the shiplocks, power generators and other major infrastructure have been functioning normally since 10 September when the storing process started and, so far, there have been no signs of major landslides or earthquakes as a result of the rising water level.

The month-long water-storing process coincided with a major flood in the upper reaches of the Yangtze when in-flow reached 47,000 cubic metres per second, bringing with it a 500-metre long belt of debris and waste, a shipping hazard that has been brought under control, according to the administration.

There have been three attempts to raise the water level to the maximum of 175 metres. Last October was the first time it was successful.