Three Gorges Dam Conflict

1
Three Gorges Dam Conflict

• PBC Corporation
• (People for a Better China)
• Representatives
• Fallyn Flaherty
• Tamara Mejia-Rabell
• Steven Eng
• Thomas Golden

Artist rendition of what the dam will look like
when complete.
2
Question

• Should China continue to build the Three Gorges
  Dam?

Yangtze River http//www.irn.org/
programs/threeg/map.shtml
Clip art from Microsoft XP.
3
Agenda

• Background
• Pros
• Fallyn Flaherty
• Thomas Golden
• Cons
• Steven Eng
• Tamara Mejia-Rabell
• Decision
• Questions and Answers

An engineer checking the turbines. http//news.bbc
.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2977404.stm
4
Background

• The Yangtze River is the third longest river in
  the world 3,937 miles
• Damming the river where the Qutang, Wuxia, Xiling
  Gorges meet (Three Gorges)
• Approved in 1989 for construction
• Project began in 1993
• When complete, water level will be 175 m deep and
  600 km long
• Will be completed by approximately 2009

5
Construction Site
http//www.irn.org/programs/threeg/map.shtml
6
Construction of Dam
http//www.threegorgesprobe.org/tgp/index.cfm
http//www.threegorgesprobe.org/tgp/index.cfm
http//www.threegorgesprobe.org/tgp/index.cfm
7
Construction of Dam
8
Pros

• Flood control
• Power generation
• Navigation
• Water Diversion
• Environmental Protection
• Economic Boost

9
Flood control

• The Yangtze has claimed more than 1 million lives
  in past 100 years
• Prevent catastrophic flooding
• Lessen the frequency of big downstream floods
  from once every 10 years to once every 100 years
• Preserve
• Large amount of farmland
• 15 million people's safety
• Properties in the downstream area
• The risk that the dam will increase flooding is
  remote

The sluice gates http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-
pacific/2977404.stm
10
Power generation

• 26 generators will produce 18.2M Kilowatts of
  energy
• Create as much energy as 18 nuclear power plants
  or the burning of 40 million tons of coal
• Electrical power from dam will provide up to
  one-ninth of Chinas output.
• Power is to be sent through transmission lines
  mostly to eastern and central China to solve
  energy shortages there

Beginning of water storage http//test.china.org.c
n/english/2003/Jun/65919.htm
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Navigation

• Will link three of Chinas major rivers (the
  Yangtze, Haui, and Yellow)
• A 10,000 ton vessel can sail in interior for six
  months out of each year
• Would increase river shipping from 10 million to
  50 million tons annually
• Transportation costs cut by 30 to 37 percent
• Shipping would become safer

The Regal China cruise ship arriving
12
Water Diversion

• Droughts have effected irrigation and farmlands
• Three Gorges Dam will provide a balance in water
  distribution
• Water in abundant areas will be redirected to
  areas of drought

Resettled child in Ling Bao village http//www.thr
eegorgesprobe.org/probeint/ThreeGorges/3gphoto9.ht
ml
13
Environmental Protection

• Clean energy source
• Coal accounts for three quarters of countrys
  energy
• Reduce acid rain and global warming

Clip art from Microsoft XP.
14
Economic Boost

• Power increase to support annual rise in GNP
• Increase in shipping and commerce
• Development of urban areas, factories and homes
  require electricity
• Three Gorges artifacts preserved to increase
  tourism
• Tourism of the Dam

Yangtze River A pagoda overlooking the river,
near the Three Gorges dam. Photo Chris
Stowers/Panos Pictures
15
Cons

• Cost
• Environmental Impact
• Time Constraints
• Relocation of people
• Economic Strain
• Cultural Loss

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Cost

• The dam will cost approximately 24 Billion and
  strain Chinas economy
• Subscription
• Electricity
• Water

Clip art from Microsoft XP.
17
Environmental Impact

• Area around the dam is very beautiful
• Different species of plants and animals will
  perish
• Worsen pollution by trapping sewage and
  industrial waste
• Little to no attempts to move toxic waste and
  other potential pollutants that will inundate the
  river

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Time Constraints

• Erosion and a non-ideal foundation, adds time
  onto completion
• The project could be subject to a foreign or
  military attack
• Construction limits importing and exporting

A construction worker prepares the hills for the
reservoir. http//www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9805/0
8/china.doomed.river/index.html
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Relocation of people

• 1.13M migrants will be forced out of their homes
• Violation of Human Rights
• Discrimination
• Unsatisfactory living conditions
• Fewer job opportunities
• No channels to express dissatisfaction
• Corruption and Embezzlement of funds

People moving from their homes. http//www.cnn.com
/WORLD/asiapcf/9805/08/china.doomed.river/index.ht
ml
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Economic Strain

• Flooding of the most fertile agricultural lands
• The effect on both the migrating and the host
  community
• Shortage of farmland
• Unemployment
• Decline in house hold income
• Learning a new lifestyle (educational and
  technical skills)

Ling Bao village, a model resettlement village,
30km from the city of Yichang in Hubei province.
The damsite is about 60 km west of Yichang
city. http//www.threegorgesprobe.org/probeint/Thr
eeGorges/3gphoto7.html
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Cultural Loss

• Culture as a product of the environment
• Learning new technologies
• 1,300 Archeological sites would be destroyed
• Destroy the legendary beauty of the scenery
• Reduce tourism revenue

http//www.maxwaugh.com/china03/yangtze/succubus.h
tml
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Decision

• It is in the best interest for China to continue
  to build the Three Gorges Dam due to all money
  and time invested in it.

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Questions and Answers

• Thank you

24
References

• http//www.chinaonline.com/refer/ministry_profiles
  /threegorgesdam.asp
• http//www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/asian.su
  perpower/three.gorges/
• http//www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hubei/y
  ichang/dam.htm
• http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2977404.st
  m
• http//test.china.org.cn/english/2003/Jun/65919.ht
  m
• http//www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/06/13/c
  hina.threegorges/index.html

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References cont.

• http//www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9805/08/china.doo
  med.river/index.html
• http//www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/yangtze/th
  ree_gorges_dam/