Three Gorges Dam Flashcards
Three Gorges Dam
Where is the Three Gorges Dam?
Yichang on the River Yangtze, China
Three Gorges Dam
How much did it reduce the risk of flooding?
From a 1-in-10 year event to a 1-in-100 year event.
Three Gorges Dam
How many people did it benefit (living in high risk flooding areas)
15 million people
Three Gorges Dam
How much land was protected from flooding?
25,000ha of farmland
Three Gorges Dam
What is the dam having a positive impact on?
Flood control Navigation Power generation
Three Gorges Dam
How much silt did the river carry and what is the issue?
Over 500 million tonnes of silt every year. Up to 50% of this is deposited behind dam, which could quickly reduce reservoir storage capacity.
Three Gorges Dam
Why is the water becoming heavily polluted?
Because of shipping and waste discharge from cities
Three Gorges Dam
How does Chongqing contribute to pollution?
Chongqing pumps in over 1 billion tonnes of untreated waste per year
Three Gorges Dam
What else is being released into the water?
Toxic substances from factories, mines and waste tips submerged by reservoir are being released into water.
Three Gorges Dam
How many people were displaced?
1.4 million people to make way for dam, reservoir and power station
Three Gorges Dam
What were displaced people promised?
compensation for their losses, plus new homes and jobs
Three Gorges Dam
What is the issue with compensation?
Many have not yet received it. Newspaper articles in China admitted that so far over $30 million set aside has been taken by corrupt local officials.
Three Gorges Dam
Yichang on the River Yangtze, China
Where is the Three Gorges Dam?
Three Gorges Dam
From a 1-in-10 year event to a 1-in-100 year event.
How much did it reduce the risk of flooding?
Three Gorges Dam
15 million people
How many people did it benefit (living in high risk flooding areas)