Les Jones

Environment > China: "many ecological and environmental problems concerning the Three Gorges Dam"

The (UK) Times - Three Gorges Dam is a disaster in the making, China admits

Now those same officials who oversaw construction of the £13 billion dam admit that surrounding areas are paying a heavy, and potentially calamitous, environmental cost. Hundreds of thousands of people may have to be moved. A total of 1.3 million have been displaced by the dam already.

A report issued by the Xinhua news agency, mouthpiece for the Government, said: “There exist many ecological and environmental problems concerning the Three Gorges Dam. If no preventive measures are taken, the project could lead to catastrophe.”

A government forum listed a host of threats such as conflicts over land shortages, ecological deterioration as a result of irrational development and, especially, erosion and landslides on steep hills around the dam. Other authorities have already raised concerns over algae bloom downstream from the Three Gorges and a deterioration in aquatic life.

People foresaw potential problems with the Three Gorges Dam even before the gates closed many. All dams have downsides - particularly population displacement and effects on the aquatic ecosystem. Three Gorges presents unique problems due to the volume of silt present in the three tributaries.

As the silt-laden water is impounded behind the dam it slows and the silt gets deposited on the river bottom. Even with aggressive dredging the lake behind the dam will continue to get shallower and shallower. The silty water carried through the generators may also likely reduce their lifespan.