three gorges dam brilliant solution to southern china energy crisis or environmental disaster
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Three Gorges Dam Brilliant solution to Southern China energy crisis or environmental disaster. http://www.yangtzeriver.org/threegorges_dam Concept and Environmental Impact Assessment began in 1950’s during the era of Mao ZeDong. Reasons to Build Dam. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Three Gorges DamBrilliant solution to Southern
China energy crisis or environmental disaster
http://www.yangtzeriver.org/threegorges_dam
Concept and Environmental Impact Assessment began in 1950’s during the era of Mao ZeDong
Reasons to Build Dam
• Improve navigation along the Yangtze River. Major Highway for movement of coal, other goods and people
• Prevent seasonal flooding which used to cause loss of life and property along river.
• Provide hydroelectric power desperately needed energy for growing population
• Reduce dependence on coal with environmental and health and safety issues
Displaced people are moved up the slopes or sent to other areas of China. Families separatedNew bridges replace submerged onesNew building often on old landslip areas due to shortage of flat land for building
Qiangjiangping landslideQiangjiangping landslide on July 13th 2003Lasted 5 minutes, Landslide monitoring gave warning1200 people evacuatedProduced 30 m high surge, caused 14 deaths, 10 disappeared, 19 injuries. Economic loss 57 million RMB Similar cause to Viant Dam landslide
buildup of water pressure below clay layer caused slippage
How to build a damFirst find a Gorge with an island in the middle
Then build a dam without stopping the fast flow of the Yangtze River
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Environmental Issues and solutions• Flooding cities including 1300 important archaeological sites
– Rebuilding of cities and museums above flood level – Movement of archaeological artifacts
• Forced movement of people• Loss of rich farmlands
– Farms moved to poorer land along side of gorge
• Increasing numbers and frequency of landslides– Landslide monitoring and prevention
• Possible loss of rare or endangered plants, fish, animals living along the Yangtze – Fish ladders, animal reserves
• Reservior Induced landsides– Monitoring and landslide prevention engineering
• Silt buildup behind dam could reduce size of reservoir and cause coastal erosion– Sluices at the base of the dam to allow silt to pass through