River management in an emerging country

Edexcel iGCSE > River Environments > River management in an emerging country: China’s Three Gorges Dam

China’s Three Gorges Dam

The Three Gorges Dam, located on the Yangtze River, is the largest multipurpose river management structure globally. The dam, over 2 km long and 100m high, was finished in 2009, forming a lake over 600 km long behind it. The Yangtze basin, home to 400 million people and providing 66% of China’s rice, covers 1.8 million km2 and releases 24,000 m’/second of water annually.

The Three Gorges Dam

The project boasts several benefits:

Flood management, protecting 10 million downstream residents in cities like Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai from the river’s seasonal floods.
A massive electricity generation capacity of 22,500 MW, primarily powering Shanghai and Chongqing, making it the world’s largest power station.
Incorporation of locks for navigation, promoting shipping above the dam and boosting tourism with the growth of cruise ships on the river.
During dry spells, ensure downstream water supply for agricultural, industrial, and domestic uses.

However, the dam has also attracted criticism for several reasons:

Over 1.25 million people were displaced to make space for the dam and lake.
The dam sits in an earthquake-prone region, where landslides occur frequently.
The dam’s silt trapping reduces the reservoir’s capacity and the downstream farmland’s fertility over time.
The dam disrupts aquatic ecosystems.

Summary

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, the world’s largest river management scheme, provides flood control, powers cities, promotes tourism and shipping, and supplements water supply.
Over 1.25 million people were displaced due to the dam’s construction.
The dam’s location in an earthquake-prone region leads to frequent landslides.
Silt trapping by the dam reduces reservoir capacity and downstream farmland fertility and disrupts aquatic life.