The Three Gorges Dam and associated infrastructure are the largest integrated water project built in the history of the world. It has also been one of the most controversial due to its massive environmental, economic, and social impacts. The very first volume of The World?s Water, published more than a decade ago, reviewed the plans underway at that time to build the Three Gorges Dam, along with many of the expected benefits and costs (Gleick, 1998).

A decade later, the physical dam itself has largely been completed, although work is continuing on electrical generating systems and a wide range of peripheral projects. This chapter offers an update on the project and a timeline of major events. It is crucial to note that while extensive information on the project is available from authorities and government officials reliable independent information on environmental and social costs is harder to find (Dai 1998 & Heggelund, 2007). This update draws on official materials, as well as information available from non-governmental and non-Chinese sources, to get a clearer snapshot of the project?s complex implications. There are growing indications that very serious problems have started to develop.

The Three Gorges Dam stretches more than two kilometres across one of the greatest rivers in the world, the Yangtze. The dam was built in a stretch of the Yangtze known a Three Gorges because of the canyons formed by immense limestone cliffs. These gorges — the Xiling, Wu, and Qutang offer some of the most scenic landscape anywhere in the world and have long been a destination spot for tourists from around the world. In recent years, tourism has boomed as people have rushed to see some of the sights to be destroyed by the dam and reservoir (China View, 2008).

The idea of building a gigantic dam on the Yangtze River in the Three Gorges area was proposed more than 80 years ago by Sun Yat-sen. After severe flooding along the river in the 1950s, Chairman Mao Tse Tung vowed to speed up construction of a massive dam but nothing significant happened for several more decades. In 1986, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power asked the Canadian government to finance a feasibility study to be conducted by a consortium of Canadian firms. The consortium, known as CIPM Yangtze Joint Venture, included three private companies (Acres International, SNC, and Lavelin International), and two state-owned utilities (Hydro-Quebec International and British Columbia Hydro International). The World Bank was asked to supervise the feasibility study to ensure that it would ?form the basis for securing assistance from international financial institutions? (Adams, 1997). On April 3, 1992, the National People?s Congress officially approved the construction of the project.

On December 14, 1994, the Chinese government formally began construction. The first electricity was produced in 2003, and the physical dam was mostly completed in 2006. The Three Gorges Dam is nearly 200 meters high, has a volume of 40 million cubic meters, and has created a reservoir 600-kilometer long with a total storage capacity approaching 40 billion cubic meters. Maximum storage of water behind the dam is expected to occur sometime in 2008.

The 14 generators in the north side of the dam have already been installed and they reached full capacity (9,800 MWe) on October 18, 2006 after the water level in the reservoir had been raised to 156 meters. Installation of seven generators in the south side of the dam was completed by the end of 2007, bringing the total power capacity to 14,800 MWe, surpassing the generating capacity of the Itaipu Dam (14,000 MWe) in Brazil (Government of China, 2006). At its completion, sometime after 2010, the project is expected to have a total installed hydroelectric capacity exceeding 22,000 MWe. This power capacity is higher than originally proposed because of an expansion initiated in 2002. In 2007, the turbines generated around 62 billion kWhr of electricity – about two-thirds of the maximum level expected by the completed project.

 THE PURPOSE OF THREE GORGES DAM

Three Gorges Dam is a vast project in China nation and relatives to it completion of construction in 2009, China citizen started to get the benefits and the purpose of making this dam is more taking into account and acceptable. Three main objectives of this dam that are for flood control, hydroelectric dam and navigation. Tourism also gives benefits to China nation itself after this dam is completely finishes and fully operates.

According to the history, there are numerous flood occur and millions of thousands of lives died, millions of acres of farmlands destroyed and it gives a bad effects to the economic health of China. This project can efficiently control the water from upper stream and reduce the flood and sand pouring into Dongting Lake during the flood season and it is claims that about 15 million people and 1.5 million acres of farmland in areas of the Yangtze River that are vulnerable to flooding can be protected in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze river.

The dam will have a capacity for storage and flood diversion of 9.5 to 22 billion m³ for the areas around the middle reaches and during November to April which is dry season, the river will reach water up to 185 meters above the sea while during the flooding month, the dam will control the water in the river and allowed the water to reduced to 135 meters in order to allowed flooded water to fill it thus flood can be control automatically.

Hydroelectric power is a renewable and environment friendly energy sources. By having Three Gorges Dam, gases emitting of greenhouse can be reduces as using coal power it generates immense amounts of pollution such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Three Gorges Dam have a total generating capacity of 18.2 million kilowatts with 26 total turbines and the electricity produced is enough to supply 3% of China?s total energy needs. Situated at the middle of China, this big dam can supply electricity and relieves pressure to entire middle, eastern and southern China.

The river City of Chongqing have a great future when Three Gorges dam fully finished because it elevated water in the river and enables larger ships to navigate further inlands on the Yangtze as the water in the lower reaches of Gezhouba Water Control Project can get enough supply of water. Moreover, an improvement of the waterway enables large-sized ship to navigate to this area and this area is expected to undergo great economic development as a result of the increased trade on the Yangtze. This new transportation system is said to cut transport costs by one third and increase shipping on the Yangtze from 3 million tons to 50 million tons per year.

New scenery of Yangtze River had contributed to the tourism and boosts the economic value of China. Many scenic spot which originally hard to enter are now reachable such as White Emperor City, a city that hidden in a thick forest and have valuable nature scenery as now it became a city in the center of the river. Government estimated 100,000 tourists in the week-long May Day holiday and further improvement will enhance this place as one of the most popular place for tourism.

THE  DISADVANTAGES OF THREE GORGES DAM

1) Relocation.

Chinese officials  have confirmed that the Three Gorges Dam partially or completely submerged 13 cities including Wanxian and Fuling, 140 towns and 16 villages. About 1.4 million people have been relocated to the new places such as  Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tibet and other remote places. This number  will be increase due to environmental effect. In 2009, officials estimate around 2 million people will be relocated to the new area.

2) Threaten the river wildlife.

A number of species will be adversely affected by the construction of Three Gorges Dam. About 300 species of fish will be affected in the Yangtze River. This will interupted fish migration and altered the river?s balance, temperature and velocity. Migrating fishes will be blocked by the barrier and not be able to cross upstream and downstream. Other affected species include Yangtze Dolphin, Chinese Sturgeon, Chinese Tiger, Chinese Tiger, Chinese Alligator and Giant Panda. About 47 rare or endagered species are protected under Chinese National Law. Since the construction begin, about less than one-hundred dolphins remain in Yangtze River. Siberian Crane also reduced in number which is less than 2000 total.

3) Environmental concern.

The targeted area will be inundated by demolish and remove surrounding area to increase navigability on the river. The loss of forests will cause to erosion and build up of sediment at the base of the reservoir and lead to increase flooding upstream. Sediments contain valuable nutrients will be blocked and cause non-fertile farmland at the downstream. For pollution, the destruction of many factories, mines and waste dumps cause the resevoir pollution. quality and prevent water pollution. Pollution will lead to lower the river temperature and dissolved oxygen. Since 2001, China has invested a total amount of US 5 billions to improve water quality and prevent water pollution. 26 wastewater treatment plants are planned to reduce the pollution.

4) Surmerged historical and tourism sites.

About 1300 known archeological sites will be lost forever under the reservoir. 1208 sites have submerged totally and only 80 sites have been excavated by archeologist. The relics and heritage such as New Stone Era, the ancient tombs built in Xia, Shang, Zhou, Tang and Song dynasty are in inundation line. Some of the ancient heritage can be moved and rebuilt but will not restored to exactly the same as the original style and features such as Giant Buddha Sculpture, Ancient Village of Dachang and Zhang Fei Temple.

5) High chances to be effect by disaster.

Since the dam partial completion, there is a lot of landslide,flood, cracks and ecological deterioration are recorded. In 2010, the worst flood occured. Although the dam supposed to control flooding on the Yangtze river but man can not prevent nature regulation. If war happen again include China, it is not possible Three Gorges Dam will be the main target by enemy. Sevententh earthshaking recorded may weaken the fundamental of Three Gorges Dam. If the dam is broken, the downstream will affected entirely. Loss of life, flooding, building collapse and food crisis will happen.

Reported by

Ng Chuck Chuan

REFERENCES

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Bruderer, T. Cui, J. &Yang, Z. (2007). Three Gorges Dam Project. Seminar: The Science and Politics of Large Dam Projects

China?s Gorges Dam. Retrieved on October 20, 2010 from http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~vanti20m/classweb/website/benefits.html

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Dai, Q. (1998). The River Dragon Has Come! The Three Gorges Dam and the Fate of China?s Yangtze River and Its People. Translated by Ming Yi Thibodeau, J.G., and Williams, P.B., eds. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharp Publishing.

Gleick, P.H. (1998). The Status of Large Dams: The End of an Era? In Gleick, P.H. The World?s Water 1998: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, pp. 69

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The Three Gorges Dam Project. Retrieved on October 20, 2010 from http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~lpohara/index.html

Three Gorges Dam. Retrieved on October 20, 2010 from http://www.internationalrivers.org/china/three-gorges-dam