1. Ida Daly
Three Gorges Dam: A Catastrophe in the Making
Throughout time, the world has seen numerous projects come and go that were
potentially harmful to the environment around them. The three gorges dam is questionably
one of the most severe of these projects to date when viewing the effects on cultural, social,
environmental, political, and economic standards of the region.
With an estimated cost of $30 billion, the Three Gorges dam is an enormous structure
capable of turning the Yangtze River into a powerhouse source of energy producing up to 2
million horsepower of electricity. Chinese officials believe that this could potentially eliminate
the nation’s current form of generating energy through coal burning. Coal burning has played a
significant role in China’s substantial air pollution, making the idea of clean, renewable energy
very attractive to the Chinese government. Officials also believe it is an easier and cheaper way
to address their current energy problems. It is thought that the dam will save lives and money
for the government. However, with every benefit there come twice as many issues. Critics are
very worries about the construction of the dam and the conflicts that will ensue with the
region.
By building a dam in the middle of the Yangtze River, China’s lifeline will be destroyed.
As the greatest trapper destination in China, The Yangtze is used frequently for travelers, as
well as transferring goods from one place to another. Along with the loss of transportation,
farmers along the Yangtze River are facing losing their homes and cultural heritage. Relocation
would force more than 1.5 billion people out of their homes. Those who resist relocation are
executed or jailed by government officials. Upon relocation, the people of the region will lose
their entire livelihood.
Since farming accounts for the majority of income for the evacuees, trouble will arise if
they are relocated to upper mountain regions. The people of this region rely on the river to
farm. They would not know how to make a living in a new region. This issue also poses a
significant problem to the entire country of China since half of the crops in the nation come
from this region. Many farmers use the Yangtze to transport their goods to destinations for
profit.
Another important factor to look at is the cultural heritage that will be lost. Ancestral
burial plots, and an entire spiritual way of life will be buried under water and lost forever to
future generations. Monuments and sacred temples will have to be relocated or replaced. A
mere 10-20% of the regions ancient artifacts are expected to be saved. The relocation of the
ancient city of Da Chong to higher ground will cost the government millions.
Upon hearing of the proposed dam construction, numerous scientists flocked to the
region to explore the land which is believed to contain China’s oldest treasures. Scientists are
working in a frenzy trying to uncovered many endangered and unexplored sites. In Dragon
Bone Cave, scientists discovered fossil remains and stone tools believed to be from cavemen

2. more than 2 million years ago. Also, the lost Ba tribe was discovered. The discovery of the Ba
tribe turned out to be a critical source of history since the remains appear to have come from a
time when man was first noted in Africa posing the question of where man actually came from.
The dam construction will prevent any further exploration for the Ba tribe.
The construction of Three Gorges dam will also destroy nature and wildlife along the
river. The massive size of the dam alone is enough to destroy the natural habitat surrounding
the area. The animals of the region will be facing extinction due to 265 billion gallons of raw
sewage that is dumped into the river. The dam prevents a natural flush out of this sewage,
leading it to sit and build up. The water flow of the river along with temperature rises will lead
to polluted water, soil and air. Perhaps the most commonly known animal of the Yangtze River
is the Baiji dolphin. This species along with the finless porpoise and ancient river sturgeon are
all at risk for extinction with the dam construction. Also, with increased contamination, the
buildup of sediment is a big concern. It is anticipated that the dam could cause over 700 million
tons of sediment to become trapped leading to rising water levels virtually turning the dam into
a waterfall. Slush gates were developed to prevent flooding. However, experts are skeptical
that they will hold. The environmental damage of developing a dam this size on the Yangtze
could be astronomical. If the slush gates would happen to collapse, flooding would completely
devastate the region.
Despite all these risk factors, politicians see this project not as a way to provide
sustainable living, but rather as a political goal. The nation’s officials simply want to prove to
the world that they are a tech superpower. They don’t stop to consider that 1/3 of China’s
population lives in the region or the fact that 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1300 villages would have
to be relocated. Perhaps the biggest risk in which the government overlooks is the possibility of
a dam break. There is a 1-1000 probability of this occurring. Bearing in mind that over 300,00
people have drowned in 215 devastating floods in the last century and that this dam is
consisting of over 250,000 tons of steel and concrete in an area that’s prone to earthquakes;
ignorance and lack of caring are not a good combination. The government should be
considering the immense damage that could be done by a dam of this size. If any corners are
cut while construction ensues, the risk of danger significantly increases. For this reason, large
banks are withdrawing their support for the dam and the Bureau of Reclamation terminated its
participation.
The political goal and money seem to be the only concerns. The government simply
gives money to those who must relocate without thinking about how the evacuees will spend it.
This often leads to homelessness since the evacuees spend the money immediately.
Homelessness often leads the evacuees back to their original habitats. This is definitely
something the government needs to take into consideration in case of a dam break since there
could be significant amounts of lives lost.
In conclusion, the drawbacks of China’s Three Gorge dam far outweigh any benefits
stated. There are better ways to generate energy than the dam in question. The need to
become a powerhouse has taken over any need to preserve China’s lifeline. The loss of culture,
environmental damages and human life is far too substantial to ignore.