THREE GORGES DAM Facts

The Yangtze River is the world's 3rd longest river at approximately 6,000 km

Construction on the dam was begun in 1994, but plans for its construction have been underway since the 1940's

China's Three Gorges Dam has a completion date of 2009

Officially, 1.2 million people will need to be resettled, but the estimate by ecologists and sociologists is 1.6 to 1.9 million people

After 2009, the dam reservoir will be filled with 185 meters of water

The most people that have been resettled due to a single dam in China is 410,000

22 counties will be partially flooded by the dam; more than 80% of resettlers are from Sichuan county

After completion, 25% of the nation's farmland will be immersed in the Three Gorges river basin

40% of all rural residents will not be provided with farmland, and therefore must find other means of survival

When the dam is fully functional, its hydroelectric system will increase national energy output by 10%

In 1990, per capita electricity production in China was only 5% of that in the United States

The benefits of the dam's flood control will go to 200 million people downstream

Three massive floods in the Yangtze basin have killed over 320,000 people

The total cost of the Dam is estimated at 200-240 billion yuan, which is approximately 25 billion US dollars The original estimated price of the dam was 20 billion yuan (US$6 billion)

Political Ramifications

Dam Development Dam development has been an extremely important venture in China's, as well as many other poor countries' grasps at economic development. Not only do dams provide hydroelectricity to thousands, they also can control floods and water shortages, and improve river transport. In fact, China has relied on dams for thousands of years to provide these benefits. The oldest dam in China is still in sound condition, and has been working for over 2000 years. China has over 200 dams, but none are as large as the Three Gorges, and none has created such extreme controversy.

The Cost Economically, Three Gorges is a huge investment for China. While the plans for the dam have been in the works since the 1940's, construction was halted until the early 1990's. The reason was not ecological nor technological, but economical. It is estimated that the final monetary cost of this dam will be close to US$25 billion (200240 billion Chinese yuan). One controversial issue of this dam as opposed to others is the fact that the investors that invest in nearly all dams worldwide are not investing in Three Gorges. There are many possible reasons for this dam investment change, but it has been offered that a likely reason for these normal investors (such as the World Bank, and the US Export-Import Bank) refusing to fund this project are the ecological implications, or sociological impact. It is more likely that these investors refuse to risk their money on something that has a high chance of potential failure. True, all ventures have a risk of failure, but it's possible that these investors felt that the risk of failure for Three Gorges was far greater than the risks of other investment opportunities. Nonetheless, China has found money for the project, and Three Gorges Dam continues without a monetary hitch.

Resettlement Funds The money is certainly there for the construction of the dam, which the government would not sacrifice for anything, but money is lacking

in other aspects of the project. Resettlement of the people of the Three Gorges region has become an immense task that few are willing to take on for the long run. Several billion yuan have been dedicated to this portion of the project, to cover moving expenses as well as compensation for lost land and construction for new homes. The budget for this portion of the project is already estimated by economists and sociologists to be much lower than the rate of fair compensation. Overlooking the already low budget, there has been mass corruption of government officials at the town, county and even extending to state levels. Officials in lower levels of the government have shown to be the largest problem with corruption. Many officials take on positions in the resettlement program, have smuggled money then have resigned from office. These officials manage to take thousands of yuan, yet it is hard to provide evidence, and even harder to find the officials themselves. This corruption has left the resettlement project without sufficient funds to relocate all of the inhabitants of the Three Gorges area, and no more money is being supplied. The result is thousands of families without the allotted budget to move from the Three Gorges area.

Potential for Disaster Even after the dam is completed, there will still be political problems to face. The most crucial of these problems is the risk for mass destruction of the cities and towns downriver from Three Gorges. While the risk of earthquakes and other natural disasters are certainly worrisome, so is the risk from other countries. If China ever enters a war, the Three Gorges dam would be a prime target for their enemy. If the dam is destroyed, thousands of people down river from the dam are in immense danger, as well as the headquarters of Chinese military forces. The destruction of this dam from an enemy standpoint would be the only component necessary to win the war with China. We have seen that there are many political problems and potential problems linked with the Three Gorges dam, but there are many more problems outside of that of the government, which the Chinese people will have to face.

Ecological Implications
Siltation Siltation is always a concern with any damn construction. However, many new technologies have been uncovered that help to alleviate siltation

problems that could render the dam completely useless, and put many people at risk. Imagine for a moment what siltation could do to a dam like Three Gorges. Silt that would normally travel safely through the Yangtze and into the Yellow Sea is trapped by the dam. A collection of silt begins to form, and, after several years, the water has no other option than to go around the dam, rendering the structure completely useless. Thankfully, the technology that China has today is able to remove much of the silt from within 100 meters of the dam through silt scouring gates that open during the flood season to let the mass amounts of water through (hence lessening the chance of flooding). A problem still remains: these silt scouring gates have never been tested on a dam so large or on this section of the Yangtze. The water moves slowly, which is different from those other dams where the silt scouring gates are present. The velocity of the water seems to be an essential part to the success of the silt gates. The velocity of the water propels the silt and other debris, and if the velocity is low, the chance for silt build-up heightens. These gates will only be able to be tested when the dam is completed, and the government can only hope that its calculations were correct. Agricultural Production Although silt deposits are dangerous to the health of a river and the usefulness of a dam, silt itself is necessary. Silt is a naturally occurring phenomenon, and consists of soil, gravel and rocks, mostly coming from soil erosion on land. Perhaps the most important thing that is contained in silt are essential nutrients for agricultural needs. Once Three Gorges is completed, there is fear that the farmers situated down river from the dam will have crops that lack important nutrients, therefore decreasing production significantly. The government plans to make major tributaries to the Yangtze produce the amount of silt that is important to production. It is likely that these the river bottoms of these tributaries will be scoured, creating an additional source of silt. Erosion and the Yellow Sea Erosion is also a key factor in the problems of Three Gorges. Many dams around the world have provoked a problem with coastal erosion, and Three Gorges doesn't seem to be heading in a different direction. The problem starts when clear water is forced out of the river mouth and carried along the coast. This clear water erodes the coast and this erosion can cause problems far beyond the boundaries of Three Gorges, and could also cause serious problems along China's coastal cities and towns. The Chinese government does not expect this to be a problem due to the high rate of siltation they are expecting to be present, but if any of these silt increasing actions fail or are called off, China could be faced with serious problems.

Earthquakes The Three Gorges area is affected by many small earthquakes yearly, but most range from 1-2 on the Richter scale. However, once the dam is completed, these levels are expected to rise to earthquakes that will be 5-6 on the Richter scale. While technology allows the dam to tolerate earthquakes that are 7-8 on the Richter scale, if there is any miscalculation, there would be complete disaster. Species Lost There are many species that call the Yangtze and the Three Gorges area home, and at least three species will be negatively affected by the construction of the dam. The Siberian Crane is one example. Half of the total population of Siberian crane calls Three Gorges their home for the low water time of the Yangtze, and after the completion of the dam, these cranes may be without food for the time they are there. The cranes eat aquatic weeds that are rooted to the bottom of lakes. Now, with the reservoir keeping the flow of water steady, these lakes (which are filled by the Yangtze) will now have a much higher depth, thus not allowing the cranes to feed. These birds are already endangered (with less than 2,000 birds total) and this change could be devastating to their species. Along with the crane, several other species are in trouble, including: the Yangtze sturgeon, the Yangtze freshwater dolphin, and several species of flora.

Cultural Concerns
The People of Three Gorges The future Three Gorges basin will contain 2 large cities, 11 county towns, and numerous villages and farms. Many of the inhabitants of Three Gorges have lived there for most of their lives, and have built relationships with their neighbors and their environment that will be severed once construction is complete. The government has found that the largest problem of relocation is that these people do not want to leave their homes. Perhaps the stubbornness of the people to leave their homes would be lessened if the compensation supplied to them was enough to sufficiently rebuild their lives. The Chinese government has resettled some families thus far that they are calling "model families." The difference between these families and the remainder of families that will need to be relocated is a large amount of money. These "model families" were supplied with 4 times as much compensation as the other families that will eventually relocate. What message do these "model families" give to others? Merely the fact that the typical compensation money given to other families will not be enough to survive on. Employment after relocation 40% of people living in the Three Gorges area are farmers. These

people have been promised compensation for their land by the government, but the problem exists that the land that has been slated as compensation for these people is considered almost totally unusable. In fact, only 2,000 of the available 24,367 mu of farmland is arable. The Government has addressed the fact that only 60% of farmers will receive land in compensation for the land they are leaving in Three Gorges. The remaining farmers will be forced to find urban jobs and, in effect, to change their entire lifestyle. The most imposing problem is not that these rural people will be thrown into a workforce that they know nothing about, but that China's unemployment rate is so high that the likeliness of these people finding jobs is slim and getting slimmer. After all of the people of Three Gorges have been relocated, the unemployment rate is sure to rise, and there will be thousands of people forced to live in poverty. Disease Although not, perhaps, one of the most pressing issues in the current debate over Three Gorges dam, disease has become a concern of many biologists. When completed, the dam basin will have a diameter of several kilometers, and this massive pool of partially standing water is perfect breeding ground for malaria, "snail fever," and many others. In 1996 there was a break out of malaria in the Three Gorges area, and the dam basin will only severely increase the chance that it will happen again. Not only will the control of these diseases (if there is an outbreak) be extremely costly, but the diseases have a great possibility of affecting the entire nation, and not just the people still in the Three Gorges area. Landmarks The Three Gorges area contains an extensive amount of landmarks, many still there from thousands of years ago. When the dam is completed almost all of these landmarks and the landmarks that have not yet been discovered, will be lost forever in the river basin. The government has promised to save 20% of the landmarks, but does saving 20% of thousands constitute as saving China's history? Poverty Already the GNP of cities in the Three Gorges area is lower than most places in China, and yet these people will have to go from having little to having almost nothing. The compensation is not enough, and the the majority of compensation land is unusable. Since the relocation of Three Gorges inhabitants started, many farmers have returned to their farms in Three Gorges because the land that they were supplied with was untenable. In the eye of the government, these people who have returned have received their compensation, and when they have to resettle for good, they will not get any money from the government. What will become of these farmers who no longer have productive land, and those farmers who

are forced to find urban work? These people will go to the cities looking for work, and join the thousands of already unemployed. The sociological problems are numerous, but will the lives the dam saves be worth the risk?

Conclusions

While the Three Gorges Dam has the potential for great things, one must also consider the potential consequences. But once we have wieghed the benefits and consequences, will it make any difference? The Chinese government has invested too much money and time, and has built up the idea of the dam too much to let this project die now. The project will procede, impaling many people, and destroying China's Three Gorges area as it goes. Many things will be sacrificed in order to declare China's political and technological prowess. It may be worth it in the long run, but in the years following completion, China may have to pick up the pieces of its broken community.