Large-scale water management projects - case studies

Question 1

Benefits of the Three Gorges Dam (China)

Answer 1

Controls flow of the Yangtze River to prevent flooding
Produces more electricity through HEP than any fossil fuel power plant in the World (In 2018 it generated 101.b billion kilowatt hours)
Makes the river more navigatable.

Question 2

Costs of the Three Gorges Dam (China)

Answer 2

Cost roughly $32 billion to build
Displaced 1.3 million people
632km² of land had to be flooded
Low water quality in the reservoir due to waste from industry, agriculture and sewage

Question 3

Benefits of the South-North Water Transfer Project (China)

Answer 3

transfers water to the Beijing region containing 35% of China’s population and 40% of its arable land but only 7% of its water
Supplies 70% of the tap water in Beijing through the central route
Has contributed to a $14 billion increase in economic output
Reduces the abstraction of groundwater
It has already supplied 29bn cubic metres of water to 120 million people

Question 4

Costs of the South-North Water Transfer Project (China)

Answer 4

Cost $71 billion to construct - making it one of the most expensive megaprojects in history
Submerged 370km² of land
Displaced 345,000 people

Question 5

Benefits of Israel’s Desalinisation Project

Answer 5

Produces potable water for 3/4 of Israel’s population
By 2030 it is estimated that desalination plants will produce 1.1 billion cubic metres of clean water per year - enough to supply the entire population

Question 6

Benefits of Israel’s Desalinisation Projectts

Answer 6

Each desalination plant requires a power plant as the process is incredibly energy intensive. Most of this energy currently comes from fossil fuels. This will lead to carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to the greenhouse effect. This leads to higher temperatures resulting in more evaporation - decreasing water security.
Produces vast amounts of salt contain descaling agents which are toxic to the environment.