Isikhululo sombane wamanzi apho onke okanye uninzi lwamanzi avelisayo agxininiswe zizakhiwo ezigcina amanzi emlanjeni.

Izikhululo zoveliso lombane oluhlobo lwamadama zibhekisa ikakhulu kwizikhululo zoveliso lombane ezakha izakhiwo zokugcina amanzi emlanjeni ukuze zenze indawo yokugcina amanzi, zigxininise kumanzi endalo ukunyusa umgangatho wamanzi, kwaye zisebenzise umahluko wentloko ukuvelisa umbane. Olona phawu luphambili kukuba idama kunye nomzi-mveliso woveliso lombane zixinaniswe kwicandelo elinye lomlambo omfutshane.
Izikhululo zombane zamanzi zohlobo lwamadama ngokubanzi zibandakanya izakhiwo ezigcina amanzi, izakhiwo zokukhupha amanzi, imibhobho yoxinzelelo, amaziko ombane, iiinjini zomoya, iijenereyitha kunye nezixhobo ezincedisayo. Uninzi lwezikhululo zoveliso loveliso lwamanzi ezinamadama njengezakhiwo zokugcina amanzi zizikhululo zoveliso zamanzi eziphakamileyo eziphakathi phezulu, kwaye uninzi lwezikhululo zoveliso loveliso lwamanzi ezinamasango njengoko izakhiwo ezigcina amanzi zizizikhululo zoveliso zombane ezinentloko ephantsi. Xa intloko yamanzi ingekho phezulu kwaye umlambo ubanzi, indawo yombane isoloko isetyenziswa njengenxalenye yesakhiwo sokugcina amanzi. Olu hlobo lwesikhululo sombane oveliswa ngamanzi lukwabizwa ngokuba sisikhululo sombane esise-riverbed hydropower, esikwasisikhululo sombane esifana nedama.
Ngokuhambelana nendawo elikuyo idama kunye nomzi-mveliso woveliso lombane, izikhululo zoveliso zombane zohlobo lwamadama zingohlulwa zibe ziindidi ezimbini: uhlobo lwedama kunye nommandla womlambo. Umzi-mveliso woveliso lombane oluhlobo lwedama ulungelelaniswe kwicala elisezantsi lomzimba wedama, kwaye amanzi ahanjiswa ngombhobho woxinzelelo ukuze kuveliswe umbane. Isityalo ngokwaso asikwazi ukumelana noxinzelelo lwamanzi angasentla. Indlu yombane, idama, indlela yokuchitheka kunye nezinye izakhiwo zesikhululo sombane esisezandleni zomlambo zonke zakhiwe kumda womlambo. Ziyingxenye yesakhiwo sokugcina amanzi kwaye zithwala uxinzelelo lwamanzi olunyukayo. Ilungiselelo elinjalo liluncedo ekulondolozeni utyalo-mali lulonke lweprojekthi.

Idama lesikhululo sombane esisemva kwedama lidla ngokuba phezulu. Okokuqala, intloko ephezulu isetyenziselwa ukunyusa umthamo ofakiweyo wesikhululo samandla, esinokuthi silungelelanise ngokufanelekileyo kwiimfuno zolawulo oluphezulu lwenkqubo yamandla; okwesibini, kukho umthamo omkhulu wedama ukulawula ukuhamba kwencopho yokunciphisa uxinzelelo lokulawula izikhukhula kumlambo ongezantsi; okwesithathu, iinzuzo ezibanzi zibaluleke ngakumbi. Ububi kukuba ilahleko yezikhukula kwindawo yokugcina amanzi iyanda kwaye ukufuduswa kunye nokuhlaliswa ngokutsha kwabahlali basezidolophini nabasemaphandleni kunzima. Ngoko ke, izikhululo zombane wamanzi emva kwedama ezinamadama aphezulu kunye namadama amakhulu amaninzi akhiwe kwiintlambo zeentaba eziphakamileyo, iindawo ezinamanzi amaninzi angenayo kunye nezikhukhula ezincinci.
Uninzi lwezikhululo zombane ezinkulu ezisemva kwedama ezakhiwe emhlabeni zigxile kwilizwe lam. Eyokuqala yiThree Gorges Hydropower Station, enomthamo ofakelweyo oziikhilomitha ezingama-22.5. Ukongeza kwiingenelo ezinkulu zokuvelisa umbane, iSikhululo soMbane woMbane weeGodi ezintathu sikwanazo iingenelo ezibanzi zokuqinisekisa ulawulo lwezandyondyo phakathi nendawo esezantsi yoMlambo iYangtze, ukuphucula indlela yokuhamba kunye nokusetyenziswa kobutyebi bamanzi, kwaye kubizwa ngokuba “sisixhobo esinzima selizwe.”