Three Gorges Dam

In Terms of Money

The World Bank and the U.S. Export Import Bank are unwilling to provide financial assistance for the construction of the dam.  Therefore, most costs will be depended upon the national energy tax, government bonds, and any other trust funds raised.  The dam will produce the energy of 84 billion kilowatt hours per year, which is enough to supply 11-15% of China’s energy.  Project loans and interest is planned to be paid off by this energy generated in 2-3 years upon completion of the dam.  The inexpensive electricity and cheap river transportation is expected to turn this region into an international investment.

The Yangzi River acts as a transportation highway for people living along the banks of the river.  The reservoir will become a great advantage to those travelling along the river.  It will help bring ships inland, allowing about 50 million tonnes of extra freight to be transported along the river each year.  The project will “reduce freight costs and facilitate trade in the area.”

Many people have criticised the actual value of the dam.  People have claimed that coal supply has kept pace with China’s development, keeping energy prices low; the dam is unnecessary since “electricity prices will remain so low that the project will never pay for itself.”  Some have also complained that the dam will destroy the Yangzi scenery, which would result in less revenue from tourism.  An argument to this is that the dam will not only generate hydroelectric power to it’s surrounding regions, but also prevent flooding.  The dam will tame the river’s current, which reduces the chances of flooding to 1:1,000 each year.  In the 1998 flood, 1,562 people were drowned and 197,000 ha of farmland were inundated.  The total loss of this flood amounted to $200 billion yuan.  By preventing more floods, the government is in turn saving more money by reducing costs that would go towards rebuilding flooded cities or towns.  With less floods occurring, the Yangzi scenery can be left in peace.  The public has been reassured that the dam will not alter any tourist’s appreciation towards the fine Yangzi scenery.

Dealing With the People

The main purpose of the dam, as we know, is to reduce the threat of flooding.  But in order to create the reservoir, the upper reaches of the Yangzi River will have to be purposely flooded to maximize the height of the dam.  “13 cities, 140 towns, 1,352 villages, 657 factories, 30,000 hectares of cultivated land” and many important historical sites will disappear under the reservoir’s water.  Analysts are afraid that after reaching the 22.5 billion cubic metre flood control capacity, “there will be nothing to prevent over spill from invading the exposed lower valley.”  Another factor to the development of the Three Gorges Dam is the resettlement of the many people who live in the development areas.  The resettlement process involves “locating the removed family a new home, new livelihood, and compensation for losses.”  Approximately 1.3 million people will have to move away to other cities.  People are complaining that the only available areas for them to move to will be too steep, and consist of lands that are too poor to farm.  The development committee have tried their best in relocating these families.  One third of costs are spent on resettling people.  Since the power generated by the dam will be used in eastern and central China regions, there should be an improvement in the lifestyles of the families.  In fact, the average salary of the already resettled people have went up from $500 yuan ($60 US) to $4898 yuan ($590 US).

Environmental Controversy 

The taming of the Yangzi River will result in fewer floods.  This appears to be an advantage to everyone.  But “environmental organizations have condemned the project, claiming the dam will cause environmental damage.”  The increased weight of water may increase the risks of landslides and earthquakes.  By slowing down the river’s current, there will also be more pollution from industrial waste accumulating in the river.  Cities along the river will deposit a large amount of toxic waste into the reservoir.  The slow moving current will not help to flush out this pollution, threatening the 196 fish species in the river; the fish may not adapt to the new environment.  Many animals, such as the Yangzi River dolphin, Chinese tiger, Chinese alligator, Siberian crane, and giant panda will be affected and put in jeopardy since the “water released from the dam will affect feeding and breeding” of the wildlife.  Much controversy have arose dealing with the violation of the Endangered Species Act.

The development committee claims that the dam will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the ozone layer by reducing the burning of coal.  It will also cut down on “carbon dioxide, one to two million tons of sulphuric dioxide, 10,000 tonnes of carbon monoxide, and 150,000 tonnes of dust.”

Conclusion

Even though there appears to be many disadvantages to the Three Gorges Dam, it is said that the government continues with the project so that it can show off China’s superior technological advances; this dam will be the “largest construction project in China since the Great Wall.”  Once this project is complete, it will also be the largest hydroelectric project in the world.  At it’s second stage of construction, there will be no stopping the Three Gorges project.  Whether or not this project will save the many lives of the people in the threatened flood areas, that still has yet to be determined.  Meanwhile, why not just sit back and enjoy the Yangzi River scenery instead of staying in this everlasting controversy.