Three Gorges Dam is a disaster in the making, China admits

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GeoNews

Three Gorges Dam is a disaster in the making, China admits

Written by Randy Post

Tuesday, 16 October 2007

According to the UK's TimesOnline, 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.” More after the break. (Photo by enkai)

As many as 1.3 million people have already been displaced as a result of the dam construction. In addition to the economical and societal impact of displacing this many people and possibly hundreds of thousands more, there has been steady outcry from various environmental groups regarding the impact to aquatic life and an algal bloom downstream of the dam. Additional problems cited in the report include conflicts over land shortages and perhaps most significantly concerns about slope failures.

One official said that the shore of the reservoir had collapsed in 91 places and a total of 36 kilometres (22 miles) had already caved in.

Landslides have produced waves as high as 50 metres (165ft). In July a mountain along a tributary collapsed, dragging 13 farmers to their deaths and drowning 11 fishermen.

The project reportedly generates more than 18,000MW of power or 20 times more than the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River on the border of Arizona and Nevada. It has been called "an achievement to rival the Great Wall", but it has been mired in controversy regarding is environmental impacts.

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