Weighing the Pros and Cons: Transformation of Angle of View for Three Gorges Dam
Author(s)
Wei Zhang1,2
Affiliation(s)
1 Mining & Mineral Resources Division, Department of Business Administration, Chinalco China Copper Corporation Limited, Beijing, China. 2 Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
1 Mining & Mineral Resources Division, Department of Business Administration, Chinalco China Copper Corporation Limited, Beijing, China. 2 Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
ABSTRACT
Three Gorges Dam Project is the world’s largest water-control and hydraulic-electric project in the 21st century. However, it has been shrouded in controversy since long even before it began construction in 1994. On one hand, the benefits of the Three Gorges Dam are flood control, power generation, navigation, aquaculture, tourism, ecological protection, environmental purification, development-oriented resettlement, transfer of water from southern China to northern China, and water supply and irrigation. On the other hand, the drawbacks of the dam are environmental impact, effect on local culture and aesthetic values, and sedimentation. In an environmental impact point of view, the Three Gorges Dam shows evidence that it has more advantages than disadvantages. Thus, by carefully balancing the pros and cons, one can say that the Three Gorges Dam is an environmentally feasible project.
Three Gorges Dam Project is the world’s largest water-control and hydraulic-electric project in the 21st century. However, it has been shrouded in controversy since long even before it began construction in 1994. On one hand, the benefits of the Three Gorges Dam are flood control, power generation, navigation, aquaculture, tourism, ecological protection, environmental purification, development-oriented resettlement, transfer of water from southern China to northern China, and water supply and irrigation. On the other hand, the drawbacks of the dam are environmental impact, effect on local culture and aesthetic values, and sedimentation. In an environmental impact point of view, the Three Gorges Dam shows evidence that it has more advantages than disadvantages. Thus, by carefully balancing the pros and cons, one can say that the Three Gorges Dam is an environmentally feasible project.
Cite this paper
Zhang, W. (2014) Weighing the Pros and Cons: Transformation of Angle of View for Three Gorges Dam. Natural Resources, 5, 1048-1056. doi: 10.4236/nr.2014.516088.
Zhang, W. (2014) Weighing the Pros and Cons: Transformation of Angle of View for Three Gorges Dam. Natural Resources, 5, 1048-1056. doi: 10.4236/nr.2014.516088.
References
[1] Qiu, Z.G., Wu, L.Z. and Du, J.P. (2000) Sanxia kuqu nongcun yimin anzhi moshi tantao (Exploring the Three Gorges Rural Resettlement Pattern). People’s Yangtze River, 31, 1-3. (Cited in Heggelund 2007) [2] Yardley, J. (2007) Chinese Dam Projects Criticized for Their Human Costs. The New York Times, 19 November 2007. [3] Park, Y.-S., Chang, J., Lek, S., Cao, W. and Brosses, S. (2003) Conservation Strategies for Endemic Fish Species Threatened by the Three Gorges Dam. Conservation Biology, 17, 1748-1758.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2003.00430.x [4] Yue, P. and Chen, Y. (1998) China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals: Pisces. Science Press, Beijing. [5] Wu, L., Zhang, Q. and Jiang, Z. (2006) Three Gorges Dam Affects Regional Precipitation. Geophysical Research Letters, 33, Article ID: L13806.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026780 [6] Xu, K., Milliman, J.D., Yang, Z. and Wang, H. (2006) Yangtze Sediment Decline Partly from Three Gorges Dam. EOS, 87, 185-190. [7] Xie, S., Li, Z., Liu, J., Xie, S., Wang, H. and Murphy, B.R. (2007) Fisheries of the Yangtze River Show Immediate Impacts of the Three Gorges Dam. Fisheries, 32, 343-344. [8] World Commission on Dams (2000) Dams and Development. Earthscan Publishers, London, 448. [9] Gleick, P.H. (1998) The Status of Large Dams: The End of an Era? In: Gleick, P.H., Ed., The World’s Water 19981999: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources, Island Press, Washington DC, 69-104. [10] Li, H., Waley, P. and Rees, P. (2001) Reservoir Resettlement in China: Past Experience and the Three Gorges Dam. The Geographical Journal, 167, 195-212.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1475-4959.00018 [11] Heggelund, G. (2007) Running into Dead Ends: Challenges in Researching the Three Gorges Dam. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC. China Environment Series, 7, 79-83. [12] McCully, P. (1996) Silenced Rivers: The Ecology and Politics of Large Dam. Zed Press, London. [13] Oster, S. (2007) In China, New Risks Emerge at Giant Three Gorges Dam. The Wall Street Journal, 29 August 2007, 11. [14] Stratton, A. (2007) World’s Largest Hydroelectric Dam Is Safe, Beijing Declares. The Guardian, 27 November 2007. [15] Heggelund, G. (2004) Environment and Resettlement Politics in China: The Three Gorges Project. Ashgate Publishing, Hampshir. [16] Heggelund, G. (2006) Resettlement Programmes and Environmental Capacity in the Three Gorges Dam Project. Development and Change, 37, 179-199.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0012-155X.2006.00474.x [17] Tan, Y. and Yao, F. (2006) Three Gorges Project: Effects of Resettlement on the Environment in the Reservoir Area and Countermeasures. Population and Environment, 27, 351-371.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11111-006-0027-0 [18] Yang, Z., Wang, H., Saito, Y., Milliman, J.D., Xu, K., Qiao, S. and Shi, G. (2006) Dam Impacts on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Sediment Discharge to the Sea: The Past 55 Years and after the Three Gorges Dam. Water Resources Research, 42, Cite ID: W04407.
[1] Qiu, Z.G., Wu, L.Z. and Du, J.P. (2000) Sanxia kuqu nongcun yimin anzhi moshi tantao (Exploring the Three Gorges Rural Resettlement Pattern). People’s Yangtze River, 31, 1-3. (Cited in Heggelund 2007) [2] Yardley, J. (2007) Chinese Dam Projects Criticized for Their Human Costs. The New York Times, 19 November 2007. [3] Park, Y.-S., Chang, J., Lek, S., Cao, W. and Brosses, S. (2003) Conservation Strategies for Endemic Fish Species Threatened by the Three Gorges Dam. Conservation Biology, 17, 1748-1758.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2003.00430.x [4] Yue, P. and Chen, Y. (1998) China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals: Pisces. Science Press, Beijing. [5] Wu, L., Zhang, Q. and Jiang, Z. (2006) Three Gorges Dam Affects Regional Precipitation. Geophysical Research Letters, 33, Article ID: L13806.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026780 [6] Xu, K., Milliman, J.D., Yang, Z. and Wang, H. (2006) Yangtze Sediment Decline Partly from Three Gorges Dam. EOS, 87, 185-190. [7] Xie, S., Li, Z., Liu, J., Xie, S., Wang, H. and Murphy, B.R. (2007) Fisheries of the Yangtze River Show Immediate Impacts of the Three Gorges Dam. Fisheries, 32, 343-344. [8] World Commission on Dams (2000) Dams and Development. Earthscan Publishers, London, 448. [9] Gleick, P.H. (1998) The Status of Large Dams: The End of an Era? In: Gleick, P.H., Ed., The World’s Water 19981999: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources, Island Press, Washington DC, 69-104. [10] Li, H., Waley, P. and Rees, P. (2001) Reservoir Resettlement in China: Past Experience and the Three Gorges Dam. The Geographical Journal, 167, 195-212.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1475-4959.00018 [11] Heggelund, G. (2007) Running into Dead Ends: Challenges in Researching the Three Gorges Dam. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC. China Environment Series, 7, 79-83. [12] McCully, P. (1996) Silenced Rivers: The Ecology and Politics of Large Dam. Zed Press, London. [13] Oster, S. (2007) In China, New Risks Emerge at Giant Three Gorges Dam. The Wall Street Journal, 29 August 2007, 11. [14] Stratton, A. (2007) World’s Largest Hydroelectric Dam Is Safe, Beijing Declares. The Guardian, 27 November 2007. [15] Heggelund, G. (2004) Environment and Resettlement Politics in China: The Three Gorges Project. Ashgate Publishing, Hampshir. [16] Heggelund, G. (2006) Resettlement Programmes and Environmental Capacity in the Three Gorges Dam Project. Development and Change, 37, 179-199.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0012-155X.2006.00474.x [17] Tan, Y. and Yao, F. (2006) Three Gorges Project: Effects of Resettlement on the Environment in the Reservoir Area and Countermeasures. Population and Environment, 27, 351-371.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11111-006-0027-0 [18] Yang, Z., Wang, H., Saito, Y., Milliman, J.D., Xu, K., Qiao, S. and Shi, G. (2006) Dam Impacts on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Sediment Discharge to the Sea: The Past 55 Years and after the Three Gorges Dam. Water Resources Research, 42, Cite ID: W04407.