China's Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydro-electric project, will close to visitors during the National Day "Golden Week" holiday.

The closure was ordered as construction of the roads over the 185-meter dam entered the last stage.

The temporary closure would ensure the smooth water storage, according to the China Three Gorges Project Corporation.

The 2,309-meter-long dam in the central province of Hubei, opened to visitors for the first time in 2005, from July 1 to Sept. 30.

It reopened to tourists in early April this year, but video cameras, canned drinks and umbrellas were banned.

Only 1,000 visitors were allowed on the dam each day.

Water levels at Three Gorges Reservoir were expected to rise to 156 meter high in mid October in the second phase of the raising of the level from 135 meters which began on Sept. 20.

The project, which was launched in 1993, is expected to be completed in 2008, one year earlier than scheduled, with a generating capacity of 18.2 million kw.

Source: Xinhua