The Turquoise Earring of the Sky: Discovering Manla Reservoir

The Turquoise Gem of the Plateau

1.Located in Longma: Township, Gyantse County within the Shigatse City region of Tibet, Manla Reservoir (Manla Shuiku) is a stunning spectacle where human engineering meets natural splendor. Situated on the upper reaches of the Nyang Chu River (Nianchu River), this massive body of water is often referred to as "Tibet's First Dam" due to its scale and significance. However, to travelers and photographers, it is better known by its poetic nickname: "The Turquoise Earring Hanging from the Sky". Unlike the typical rugged and desolate landscape of the plateau, Manla Reservoir presents a vivid splash of emerald green. The water, trapped between steep, barren mountains, shines like a giant piece of turquoise jade embedded in the earth, offering a visual softness and color saturation that is rare in the high-altitude wilderness.

A Masterpiece of Engineering and Nature

Manla Reservoir is a large-scale water control project primarily built for irrigation and power generation, completed around the year 2000. Before its construction, the Nyang Chu River was unpredictable, often running dry or causing floods that threatened the agricultural heartlands of Gyantse, Bainang, and Shigatse. The construction of the dam, which stands over 150 meters high, tamed the river and created this magnificent artificial lake. Despite being man-made, the reservoir fits harmoniously into the natural canyon landscape. The deep water, rich in minerals and influenced by the high-altitude light, displays a mesmerizing green hue that rivals natural holy lakes like Yamdrok,.

The View from Simila Mountain Pass

The best vantage point to appreciate the grandeur of Manla Reservoir is the Simila Mountain Pass (Simila Shankou), located at an altitude of 4,352 meters. From the viewing platform here, the entire reservoir stretches out below like a painting. You can see the dam locking the river in the gorge, the jagged, grey-brown mountain ranges reflecting in the mirror-like water, and the colorful Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the wind at the pass. The contrast between the vibrant turquoise water, the stark mountains, and the blue sky creates a stereoscopic landscape that is perfect for photography.

A Cultural and Scenic Stop

Geographically, the reservoir lies on the route connecting Lhasa and Shigatse, passing through the heroic city of Gyantse. It serves as a vital scenic node on the journey through the "Granary of Tibet". While it does not have the ancient religious history of natural holy lakes, the prayer flags (Simila Pass) and the sheer scale of the project imbue it with a sense of modern history and the spirit of development on the plateau,. The reservoir not only nourishes the fertile fields downstream but also offers a moment of tranquility and visual shock to travelers traversing the rugged terrain of the Trans-Himalayas.