DAM THE ENVIRONMENT: Has an environmental cataclysm been unleashed by China's Three Gorges Dam?
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SHANGHAI—For over three decades the Chinese government dismissed warnings from scientists and environmentalists that its Three Gorges Dam—the world's largest—had the potential of becoming one of China's biggest environmental nightmares. But last fall, denial suddenly gave way to reluctant acceptance that the naysayers were right. Chinese officials staged a sudden about-face, acknowledging for the first time that the massive hydroelectric dam, sandwiched between breathtaking cliffs on the Yangtze River in central China, may be triggering landslides, altering entire ecosystems and causing other serious environmental problems—and, by extension, endangering the millions who live in its shadow.
Government officials have long defended the $24-billion project as a major source of renewable power for an energy-hungry nation and as a way to prevent floods downstream. When complete, the dam will generate 18,000 megawatts of power—eight times that of the U.S.'s Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. But in September, the government official in charge of the project admitted that Three Gorges held "hidden dangers" that could breed disaster. "We can't lower our guard," Wang Xiaofeng, who oversees the project for China's State Council, said during a meeting of Chinese scientists and government reps in Chongqing, an independent municipality of around 31 million abutting the dam. "We simply cannot sacrifice the environment in exchange for temporary economic gain."
The comments appeared to confirm what geologists, biologists and environmentalists had been warning about for years: building a massive hydropower dam in an area that is heavily populated, home to threatened animal and plant species, and crossed by geologic fault lines is a recipe for disaster.
Among the damage wrought: "There's been a lot less rain, a lot more drought, and the potential for increased disease," says George Davis, a tropical medicine specialist at The George Washington University (G.W.) Medical Center in Washington, D.C., who has worked in the Yangtze River Basin and neighboring provinces for 24 years. "When it comes to environmental change, the implementation of the Three Gorges dam and reservoir is the great granddaddy of all changes."
Dam Quake
When plans for the dam were first approved in 1992, human rights activists voiced concern about the people who would be forced to relocate to make room for it. Inhabited for several millennia, the Three Gorges region is now a major part of western China's development boom. To date, the government has ordered some 1.2 million people in two cities and 116 towns clustered on the banks of the Yangtze to be evacuated to other areas before construction, promising them plots of land and small stipends—in some cases as little as 50 yuan, or $7 a month—as compensation.
Chinese and foreign scientists, meanwhile, warned that the dam could endanger the area's remaining residents. Among their concerns: landslides caused by increased pressure on the surrounding land, a rise in waterborne disease, and a decline in biodiversity. But their words fell on deaf ears. Harnessing the power of the Yangtze has been a goal since Nationalist leader Sun Yat-sen first proposed the idea in 1919. Mao Zedong, the father of China's communist revolution, rhapsodized the dam in a poem. The mega- project could not be realized in his lifetime, however, because the country's resources were exhausted by the economic failures of the Great Leap Forward in the late 1950s and then the social upheaval of the Cultural Revolution from the mid-1960s a to the early 1970s. Four decades later, the government resuscitated Mao's plans. The first of the Yangtze's famed gorges—a collection of steep bluffs at a bend in the river—was determined to be the perfect site.
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31 Comments
Add Commenti'm visiting the place in 2 months!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe photo says a lot! Notice the heavy smog? Hydroelectric power produced by the dam will allow many air-polluting coal-fired plants to be shut down. The dam should also protect those downstream from catastrophic flooding that has killed millions in the past.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI certainly don't advocate mega dams being built but sometimes dams are needed to control flooding. I think it might have been better to build a number of smaller dams upstream on tributaries and in most cases, this could also provide hydroelectric power generation as well as irrigation water for farming.
Controlling natural processes is often less hazardous than trying to subdue them entirely
Neither civil engineers, environmentalists nor doctors are going to shut down cemeteries. The wise approach would be a watch and then act one. JGA
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou might think that I am not qualified to speak about environmental issues just because I have not been to a certain school or so, but I can tell you something for nothing there are some things in life one can not learn in school, and what I am speaking about is simple logic.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI know where I come from and I know where I am going, what frightens me most of all is the people who will be occupying planet earth in time to come when you and I no more - dead and forgotten.
My take on dams blocking rivers are summed up in this sentence - Rivers are to earth as veins and blood vessels are to the human body. Blocking the path way and holding back huge quantities of water or blood where it should not be held is a certain recipe for disaster.
As the times change we have to change with it, we have the technologies our fore fathers only dreamed of in time gone by, the time has now come to where our responsiability is to fine tune and adjust our mental attitude and understanging towards the real task that lay before us, for if earth is really heaven the planets and moons that surround us in space can be called hell. check my site out - worldproject666.com still needs to be worked on
Of course! Any project is going to change the equilibrium and establish a different ecosystem. On the micro scale we accomplish the same thing simply by walking through the forest. Certainly more when we build a city. More yet with a large dam. My point is simply that a changed ecosystem is different. Look from one angle and it is bad. Look from another and there are benefits. Build a ditch along the road and you end up with a wetlands with a whole new ecosystem. When Yellowstone park went up in flames in 88, it was a disaster, ... or was it? It was just different. The question to answer therefore is not if it is 'good' or 'bad' but are we willing to live with the difference? The article listed several 'bad' things. Really, they are just very different. If the Gorges had filled in with a natural earthquake, it would change the ecosystem just like the dam did. In the end the earth will survive. A new equilibrium will establish itself. And it will be fascinating. Note that all I've said here is VERY different than the pollution China is contending with. That is poison that is killing her children. Life will not adjust to that, it will simply die.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe Three Gorges dam was built as a "flood control" structure (the electrical power generation is an ancillary benefit) because over 300,000 people have died in Yangtze River floods in the 20th century(156,000 in 1840; 142,000 in 1935; over 33,000 in 1954; and most recently over 3,000 in 1998). Naturally, when you build a large dam with its associated large reservoir, there will be ecological problems that were not previously existent; and these must be handled. However, the logic dictates that you must build the dam to save the thousands of human lives. Then you must address the ecological problems that were unforeseen prior to the construction of the dam.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn addition, hydro power is a renewable source of energy (It rains, the water runs downhill thru a turbine producing electricity, it exits the plant as water, evaporation occurs, it rains, etc. etc.) with "zero" emissions. This is a great advantage over several more coal fired plants with their associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
In summary, the dam was required to avoid the loss of human life due to the frequent flooding of the Yangtze River; and the saving of human lives on such a large scale is imperative. The ecological problems created, that were not foreseen, have to be addressed. The electrical power generation is an additional ancillary benefit Reply | Report Abuse
Re David Clemen 5:37 8/7/08
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisExcellent point David. Anything we do will have consequences. It is disingenuous or naive to focus on one side without at least acknowledging other issues. One of the benefits of these forums is that once you get past the garbage, there are often well thought out points and responses. ScAm tends to be better than other blogs. Anyway, Thanks for the reply.
3 years ago I took a trip up the Yangtez river to the dam. Wonderful trip but I had no inkling at that time of the problems the dam would cause. I feel for the Chinese people. They should not suffer the consequences of this overly built
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this(now we know) project.
I took a trip up the Yangtez 3 years ago. Wonderful trip and I was impressed with the size of the dam which was only 1/3 finished at that time. I had no idea of the problems that would occur at that time. I feel for the Chinese people who will suffer from this (apparently ill thought out) project!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA fact that is not much discussed is that the 3 Gorges dam was financed by Canada. A group of students, myself included, that had placements in CIDA at that time challenged Marcel Masse, the Minister of foreign aid at that time, in a private meeting to find alternate ways to assist China in their power generation. He laughed at us when we suggested geothermal, wind, solar or tidal. I hope he's not laughing now.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisi agree that the Three Gorges Dam is built for the purpose of generating electric power and the same manner protect the lives of individuals residing near it.. so primarily its objectives is of important value both economically and security.. but let us also take in consideration that the river harbors the endemic Baiji which ca only be found in Yangtze river, and is now drastically declining in number and is even declared to be functionally extinct. not only that, even the endemic and endangered Yangtze sturgeon's population is affected significantly by these dam.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thismoreover, we can't deny that endangered plant species diversity will be jeopardized by clearing activities for the said three gorges dam project. and reports show that forested area has dropped its cover to less than 10% as of 2002-so if i may ask, to how much extent do we expect has it dropped now?
conservation measures are vital to areas where endemic, threatened, and vulnerable species are observed.
but then again, human life is more important-but we can't be human enough without protecting our natural resources.. our resources is what makes us .
wow you all suck and i cant believe chinese government doesnt care about its people. peoples republic my @$$
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisi cant believe the chinese government doesnt care about the well fare of its citazens. peoples republic my @$$
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYOUR A FREAKIN jerk 913shiverg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisyour a freakin jerk 913shiverg!! you backstabbing jerk you dirty little theif, u stupid uneducated frigid
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishe will not laugh at you now!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthe southwest part of China is enduring the 100-year drought, and huge damage has cause by the drought. The microclimate caused by the three gorges dam attributed a lot.
I am a Chinese student and lived in that part, I can tell every detail of the climate changes.
the southwest part of China is enduring the most severe drought in the 100 years, and I think the microclimate is the main cause and the three gorges dam have attributed a lot to this.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisJerry, you are not a Chinese and you don't know the climate change in the central and southwest part of China. Every shortcoming discribed in this article have nearly come true.The drought happened this year is a an clear evidence, and the mass is the final victim for all the devils.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAmazing project. also terrifying. there was an interesting documentary called "Manufactured Landscapes" released in 2007, directed by Jennifer Baichwal which profiles a Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky. It's very intersting to watch!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe 3 Gorges Dam reminds me of the medical condition CCSVI (Chronic Cerebro-spinal Venous Insufficiency) where collapsed jugular veins push blood back into the brain, recently proposed by Paulo Zamboni as a cause of the many symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI need to find a solution to this problem. Help with this will be really nice.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDoes this bug anyone? What they're doing could effect everyone on the planet. This place is ruined enough already. Our planet needs a ton of help. Next thing you know everyone will be forced to live inside at all times because it's impossible to breath our air. I know they're making this for hydroelectricity, and that's supposed to help our planet, but there is too much harm done to our environment in the making. I say they should call off the project entirely, no matter how many years they've already put into it. Personally, I think this whole thing is pathetic!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOh my god, a few landslides....environmental catastrophe! As usual, no science anywhere near this mag.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis Dam could effect the Earths Axix.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis massive damn could effect the earths axis.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI hope that dam crumbles and gets rid of hundreds of millions of people from a race that is no different than a plague. 1.7 billion creatures that just keep consuming the planets resources killing plants and animals. Mother nature will strike them down before they destroy the earth.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPeople always think that they can overcome nature. We think that if only we could only replace fossil fuels with clean energy technology then we can dodge catastrophe. Instead of modifying the world to fit our needs we need to modify ourselves to live in the world. It is only through balance that humanity will be able to live long. If we keep living like kings we will see an inevitable doom. Some people have realized this and they have adopted a "green" lifestyle, which is the same as before just that now everything costs twice as much. Those people who think they are making a change by buying that environmentally conscious TV or washer are only fooling themselves. The way to survive is to change who we are.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPS read a book called Collapse by Jared Diamond, besides being interesting it is useful as well.
As each wave of environmentalists have exited the universities they have tried to make their money by their "The sky is falling" predictions about the Three Gorges Dam(and other dams in the entire project). As each wave have made their money they turn their backs on the newly emeging waves saying their own "The sky is falling" predictions- the truth of the matter is that truth is not revelant to environmentalists, only money in their pockets is important. I say that after reading of those predictions since I put together The Three Gorges Dam master plan 50+ years ago, age 13,- nothing has changed since the first environmentalists that did not care about the millions of lives that would be saved and the lessening of other pollutants- only the greed of the environmentalists have been proved to be true about those that cry "The sky is falling).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs each wave of environmentalists have exited the universities they have tried to make their money by their "The sky is falling" predictions about the Three Gorges Dam(and other dams in the entire project). As each wave have made their money they turn their backs on the newly emerging waves saying their own "The sky is falling" predictions- the truth of the matter is that truth is not revelant to environmentalists, only money in their pockets is important. I say that after reading of those predictions since I put together The Three Gorges Dam master plan 50+ years ago, age 13,- nothing has changed since the first environmentalists that did not care about the millions of lives that would be saved and the lessening of other pollutants- only the greed of the environmentalists have been proved to be true about those that cry "The sky is falling).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisJust want to know, any references available?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNow's a fine time to worry about this! Chinese citizens should have spoken years ago. Of course it's an environmental disaster, how could it not be. I just read where the Chinese government actually REQUIRES animal testing on many products. They'll never learn will they! They want a part in world trade and the global economy but doesn't have a clue about how the rest of the world operates. This government does what it wants. Things like harming the envornment, displacing millions of citizens, destroying entire cities, drowning millions of animals by flood or cruel testing, it's all the same. China does what it wants. The government is the only important thing. Concepts such as individual rights don't exist to them. Then, after all this they inflict a one child policy and when a woman doesn't follow their orders they literally kidnap her, torture her and horribly abort a 7 month old fetus. Why worry about the environment, they have more important issues to handle. At the rate their going they won't have any natural, unspoiled land for these individuals that have no relatives.
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