The Three Gorges Dam is one of the planet’s most ambitious and equally controversial projects. Built to harness the power of the Yangtze River, this enormous structure has had a profound impact on both the environment and human society. Here are 15 facts about the Three Gorges Dam:
1. The Dam Was Originally Sun Yat-Sen’s Idea
Sun Yat-sen, considered the father of modern China, first proposed the idea of the Three Gorges Dam in 1919. He envisioned a dam that would control flooding, generate hydroelectric power, and symbolize China’s growing industrial might. However, political instability delayed the project for many decades.
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2. Three Gorges Is Massive
The Three Gorges Dam is a colossal structure made of steel and concrete. It stretches 7,661 feet in length and rises almost 600 feet in height. The construction required 510,000 tons of steel, enough to build sixty Eiffel Towers.
3. Three Major Purposes
The dam serves three primary purposes: flood control, hydroelectric power production, and navigation improvement. These functions are intended to protect millions of people from seasonal flooding, provide a significant portion of China’s electricity, and improve shipping conditions on the Yangtze River.
4. Infrastructure Dependent
The Three Gorges Dam is equipped with 34 massive generators, which produce an enormous amount of electricity. The dam’s power generation capacity is equivalent to burning 25 million tons of crude oil or 50 million tons of coal annually.
5. The Three Gorges Project Took Decades to Become a Reality
Although Sun Yat-sen first suggested building the Three Gorges Dam in 1919, it wasn’t until 1944 and 1946 that it was seriously considered. In 1946, the Republic of China hired the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to sketch out plans for the dam. The Chinese civil war that followed World War II, on the other hand, quickly put an end to this project. Several times in the 1950s and 1970s, people tried to build the dam, but social unrest always put the project on hold. There was no official start date for building the Three Gorges Dam until December 14, 1994. It was ready to use by 2009. Even now, changes are still being made to the dam every once in a while.
6. Three Gorges Was Delayed Since the Beginning
The announcement of the Three Gorges Dam in 1994 caused a lot of trouble and caused the project to be delayed many times. The original goal for the project was to finish in 2008. However, rising costs, worries about the climate, corruption in Chinese politics, and problems with resettling people meant that the work slowed down or stopped altogether, which was worse for the people who lived there.
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7. Water Pollution
One of the major controversies surrounding the dam is its impact on water quality. The Yangtze River, already heavily polluted, has seen increased pollution due to the dam. The reservoir sits atop old waste facilities and mining operations, and 265 million gallons of raw sewage are deposited into the river annually.
8. Massive Migration
The construction of the dam forced 1.2 million people to relocate. The Chinese government continues to move people out of the region, with plans to relocate hundreds of thousands more in the coming years to accommodate the dam’s effects.
9. Better Flood Control
The Three Gorges Dam significantly improves flood control on the Yangtze River, which has historically caused devastating floods. The reservoir created by the dam covers 405 square miles, helping to protect millions of homes and important cities like Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai from flooding.
10. Power Generation
The dam generates an impressive amount of electricity, producing 22,500 MW, which is 11 times more than the Hoover Dam. This immense power output is enough to support a significant portion of China’s energy needs.
11. The Negative Environmental Impact
The area around the Three Gorges Dam is home to a diverse array of species. The dam’s construction has caused significant environmental disruption, including habitat destruction and species displacement. Erosion and landslides have also been triggered by the dam, threatening local ecosystems.
12. Three Gorges Has Been Costly
The financial cost of the Three Gorges Dam is staggering, with estimates ranging from $25 billion to $37 billion. The project faced opposition due to its high costs, and the construction led to the loss of 140 towns, 13 cities, and 1,600 historical sites.
13. It Has Slowed the Rotation of the Earth
The dam’s massive reservoir holds 42 billion tons of water, which has slightly altered the Earth’s rotation. This shift in mass has increased the length of a day by 0.06 microseconds, demonstrating the dam’s significant impact on the planet.
14. Improved Navigation
The Three Gorges Dam has also improved navigation on the Yangtze River. The dam includes a ship lift and a series of locks that allow vessels to bypass the dam, facilitating smoother and more efficient river transportation.
15. Cultural Heritage Loss
The construction of the Three Gorges Dam led to the submersion of numerous cultural and historical sites. Many ancient artifacts, temples, and other significant structures were lost or had to be relocated. This loss of cultural heritage has been a major point of contention among historians and conservationists.
The Three Gorges Dam remains a monumental achievement in engineering but also a subject of ongoing debate due to its far-reaching impacts on the environment, society, and even the Earth’s rotation. Whether viewed as a triumph of human ingenuity or a cautionary tale of environmental recklessness, its legacy will be felt for generations.
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