The Three Gorges Dam, the largest public works project in human history, is located on China’s Yangtze River.
This enormous endeavor has displaced more than 1.3 million people, swallowed about 1,500 municipalities, and has created a reservoir more than 373 miles long.
The project is seen as an important future source of energy for China’s growing electrical consumption and is expected to produce 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year when it reaches capacity.
But some environmentalists are worried that the silt buildup behind the dam could pose navigation problems and that the huge reservoir could result in seismic activity. They are also concerned that there may be accumulations of toxic materials and other potential pollutants from inundated industrial sites.
Three Gorges Dam plan, which cost $37.24 billion, was controversial some time before being implemented in 1994.
There are those who say the rising water levels in the reservoir are eroding already fragile slopes and triggering landslides.
Proponents, however, claim the dam will help in four areas: flood control, power generation, navigation, and tourism.
According to the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Three Gorges Dam will potentially reduce the coal consumption by 31 million tons per year, also cutting the atmospheric emission of 100 million tons of greenhouse gas. The commission also says the reduction of fossil fuel consumption eliminates the requirement of energy to mine, wash, and transport about 31 million tons of coal from northern China to the load center in south and east China.
“China’s Mega Dam,” which was produced by the Discovery Channel, is available to rent. While dated, it is a good primer on the dam project.
Murphy can be reached at: Lojano@comcast.net