How did the Three Gorges Dam affect flooding during the rainy summer of 2010?

During the extraordinarily rainy summer of 2010, the Three Gorges Dam proved effective in mitigating the severity of flooding in the lower Yangtze River basin. The dam functioned by holding back a significant portion of the incoming floodwaters, which helped minimize the downstream impact of the heavy seasonal rains.1

Despite this protective role, the dam was not a total solution. To manage the high volume of water accumulating in the reservoir, officials were required to open the dam's floodgates. Consequently, the region still experienced flooding and landslides that resulted in extensive property damage and the deaths of several hundred people.1