China & 3 Gorges Dam

Satellite View of Three Gorges Dam at Yangtze River using Google Earth Data View of the largest hydroelectric dam in the world.Three Gorges Dam crossing Yangtze River at Sandouping, Yichang, Hubei province, China.

History In 1994, the Chinese government began construction on the Three Gorges Dam. At 1.4 miles long and 630 feet high (roughly the height of a 50-story building), it is the world's largest dam. It will produce a giant lake, or reservoir, 350 miles long and hold more than a trillion gallons of water.

Benefits It will produce a giant lake, or reservoir, 350 miles long and hold more than a trillion gallons of water. This massive effort will allow the government to control the river's chronic flooding, which caused more than 2,000 deaths in 1998 and left nearly 14 million people homeless. In addition, ocean vessels will be able to travel farther inland, which will boost trade and tourism, and hydroelectric power from the dam will generate inexpensive electricity, thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions and the use of coal and fossil fuels.

Possible Deterrents These benefits come with a price tag of about $24 billion. In addition, as the waters rise behind the dam, approximately 2 million people have been forced to relocate. Although the government provided assistance with resettlement, there have been reports of inadequate housing, lack of economic opportunity for farmers resettled in urban areas, unfair compensation for property losses, and pockets of poor people who lacked funds to move and were left behind to fend for themselves.

The Controversy Further, the rising waters are burying the ruins of ancient settlements and historic shrines, thereby destroying some of China's heritage. The project has also sparked criticism from environmentalists who argue that some of the country's richest farmland will be destroyed along with important animal and plant habitats. There are also concerns that the project will increase erosion downstream, change the ecosystem of the East China Sea and contaminate drinking water supplies. dec03/dam_10-17.html# dec03/dam_10-17.html#

Progress Despite the controversies, progress on the Three Gorges Dam continues. The reservoir was completed in 2006 and should reach its target depth by the end of The dam is scheduled to be completely finished in 2009.

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