2018

Yangtze River and the Three

Gorges Dam Report

Amiyo Das
GESS I&S Class 9A
12/10/2018
Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................2
2. RIVER SYSTEM OVERVIEW ...............................................................................................................3
2.1 Map of the river and Key characteristics .................................................................................3
3. RIVER SYSTEM ISSUES ......................................................................................................................4
3.1 Identification of key issues and its causes ...............................................................................4
3.2 Who is affected by the key issues……………………………………………………………………………………...5
4. MANAGEMENT STRATEGY………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
4.1 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................6
4.2 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................6
APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................................7
Appendix 1 ...........................................................................................................................................8
Appendix 2 ...........................................................................................................................................8

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Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

1. INTRODUCTION

The Yangtze is the 3rd longest river in the world and the longest in Asia. It is one of the main
rivers in china, a third of china’s population live along the river basin, it provides half of the
fish in china and 2/3 of the rice (WWF). The Yangtze is also a major transportation system,
people, goods, and trade all travel along the Yangtze. In this report we are going to talk
about how the three gorges dam has affected the Yangtze river. In general dams have been
known to cause many river problems as what has happened in the Mekong river and the
Nile. In both cases dams had brought many problems with them. The three gorges dam is
the biggest hydroelectrical dam in the world, it was meant to produce power, control
flooding, tourism, and navigation. I have been contacted by International Rivers to write a
report about the Yangtze river and how the three gorges dam affects the environment and
villages around. There might be many benefits to this dam but how does it affect the
environment?

Figure 1: This is an image of the three gorges dam and it's reservoir right before it (http://www.atimes.com/article/two-
missiles-can-blow-up-chinas-three-gorges-dam-taiwan-strategist-claims/).

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 Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

2. RIVER SYSTEM OVERVIEW

2.1 Map of the river system and key characteristics

The Yangtze river also known as the Chang Jiang (Chang means long, and Jiang mean river) is located
in central China, it’s source in the mountains of the Qinghai Provence on the Tibetan Plateau. It then
flows east through China for 6,300 km
and finally exits in the East China Sea.
The river catchment covers 1/5 of the
China’s area, 1,808,000 km2 (WWF). The
amount of water discharged is at over
30,000 cubic meters per second. The
Yangtze river basin consists of over 700
tributaries, main ones being the, Han,
Yalong, Min, Jialing, Wu, Xiang, Yuan,
Gan rivers. The upper course of the
river starts in the glaciers of the
Tanggula Mountains, southern section
of Qinghai province. The structure of
the upper course is a series of gorges
and rocky slopes as the river cuts
through. Villages are rarely found. It
covers 55% of the whole basin. The Figure 2: An image of the area of the Yangtze river basin and from where
it flows (http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?203195/Yangtze-Basin-lakes-
middle course of the river starts near shrinking-as-climate-change-development-takes-its-toll).
the city Yibin and ends roughly around
the city of Yichang and travels for 1,030 km. Most of the terrain is slightly hilly and the river travels in
huge meanders. The Middle course is where the Three Gorges dam is present near the city Yichang.
The lower course of the river consists of vast plains along east China. The current slows down as the
river reaches the lower course. The lower course also consists a series of complex system of lakes,
marshes, and multiple tributaries. Many of them confluence on the lakes. The width of the river can
reach up to 800 meters around the Lingzi plain. The lower course supports much of the rice growth
in China with many
flood plains in the
region. China’s major
metallurgical-
industry centres and
river ports lie in the
lower course as well
(Britannica).

Figure 3: A more detailed map of the Yangtze river basin with the tributaries and upper, middle, and lower
basin (https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-the-Yangtze-River-drainage-basin-showing-the-
locations-of-sampling-sites-in-this_fig1_314250857).

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Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

3. RIVER SYSTEM ISSUES

3.1 Identification of key issues and causes of the issues

The Yangtze river has many issues, those of which were caused recently by the three gorges dam
that was built in 2003. Many of the three gorges dam issues are:

Water pollution: There are many

pollutants of the Yangtze river. The
annual discharge of Industrial and
sewage waste has reached up to 25
billion tons. Shipping discharges are
also there to blame as well as the key
fact that crucial floodplain areas
have been lost to agriculture. This
has reduced the river’s ability to
detoxify pollutants. Another fact
being that the Yangtze river is the
fourth largest sediment carrier in the
world because the Yangtze’s river Figure 4: This is an image of the pollution being held up by the dam in
catchment contains cultivatable land the reservoir
(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8109292/M
(WWF). This is where the three ountains-of-rubbish-hauled-out-of-Chinas-Three-Gorges-Dam.html).
gorges dam comes into place, The
Three gorges dam makes problems worse by trapping sediment and causing Eutrophication. Many of
the submerged infrastructure caused by the dam were not removed or cleaning the town of toxic
waste before submerging the town has not done. Many parts of Sewer systems waste water
treatment plant as well as dumpsites along the river are submerged by the reservoir made by the
three gorges dam, heavily polluting the water (WWF).

Migration problem: In 2003 around

1.3 million people were relocated
from the 13 cities, 140 towns and
1,350 villages submerged by the
reservoir made by the Three gorges
dam (International Rivers). The
reservoir had gained a total area
1,034 km2, which is bigger than
Singapore and a length of 600
meters. Yet again another 100,000
people were relocated in 2012 from
Hubei Chongqing due to geological
risks as well as 20,000 people being
moved from Huangtupo. Ever since
the water level of the reservoirs had
reached its maximum capacity of 175 Figure 5: This image show where the reservoir is from and how many people were
meters, geological hazards had relocated along it (https://earth.esa.int/web/earth-watching/change-
detection/content/-/article/three-gorges-dam-china-landsat).
increased by 70% in the region.
Many of the geological hazards are

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Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

landslides and this happens by the change of water levels in the reservoir. Dam dam’s reservoir
reduces its water level by 30 meters during the summer to control flooding. During the winter the
water levels are risen again. This constant change of water level softens the slopes along the bank
causing more landslides (Reuters).

Environmental affects: A Number of

wildlife and species have been
affected by the creation of the three
gorges dam. There are over 300
species of fish and the dam creates a
huge barrier for fish to go out to sea or
come back upstream to reproduce.
This causes the fish population to
decrease drastically. There are 47 rare
or endangered species in the three
gorges dam area and one of the being
the Yangtze river dolphin. There are
less than one hundred of them left in Figure 6: This image shows the sediment that was trapped by the dam all
the world. Not to mention the released at once making the color of the river orange
extensive pollution harming the river (http://www.bjreview.com.cn/forum/txt/2010-
creatures and farmland. Many forests 08/06/content_289421.htm).
were taken down for the navigability
of the river. The lack of forest or agricultural land upstream can lead to more erosion causing
flooding. Around 100,000 acres of agricultural land was inundated by the reservoir created. The
dam also barricades all the dirt and sediment not allowing to flow down naturally. This sediment is
required for good, fertile land downstream for farming. The lack of sediments downstream could
reduce the fertility of the land (Mytholyoke). The dam also alters the flow of the water by disrupting
the natural flow. The dam slows down the water and by the time it reaches far downstream the river
flow is really slow and much erosion doesn’t take place as well as transportation of sediments is
reduced by the slow currents. This does not allow the vital sediment to reach the farm areas and
fertilize them.

3.2 Who is affected by key issues

Water pollution has affected many different species and humans. The Yangtze river dolphin is one of
the endangered species of the Yangtze river and the constant deuteriation of the health of the river
could cause extinction. Pollution that moves downstream could affect agricultural land and farming.
The river is a main source of transportation, and human resource. E. coli and Hepatitis A have been
found rampant in the three gorges area which is very threatening as the river is a main source of
water. Humans are affected by the constant relocation. Many people had been forced to move away
and out of their homes because of flooding and geological hazards. Some of them were not only
resettled once but twice, once in 1998 and then again in 2012 just when they were getting
comfortable. The Three gorges dam also affects the environment big time. It has stopped the natural
flow of water and natural flooding. Huge amounts of debris and toxins and sediments trapped and
reducing the quality of the water. A lot of erosion and agricultural land is lost as well as more
geological hazards happening. Not only is are Wildlife and humans were affected so is the
environment.

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Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

4. MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

4.1 Recommendations
For this massive hydroelectrical plant there are many benefits, but also many disadvantages.
Sometimes it is very easy for you to solve these disadvantages but then many of the benefits are lost
and the purpose of the project is lost. So, I have some Ideas that might work to manage some of
these problems. As mentioned before the dam

Water pollution is not solely the dam’s fault it is mainly fact that of littering, shipping discharge,
regular waste and inconsiderate people taking advantage of the river. This could all be stopped by
raising awareness for some of the endangered species and how toxified the river has become.
Raising awareness of how the water can be toxic to the people and the environment.

One idea that is possible is to create some sort of door one side of the dam that would be opened
regularly to let the natural flow of water and sediment flow through. This would not be used for
hydroelectrical power but merely for the natural flow of water. This will help regulate agriculture
downstream and keep the water levels in the reservoir lower. This opening could also allow fish to
travel back and forth for breeding. This would also reduce eutrophication as the water is flowing
now and so will the water downstream which won’t be as slow anymore. Sediment will most likely
reach the farmland. The only disadvantage that I think there is here is that this might cost a lot more
money to put this plan through and it also might take a long time as well as producing a bit less
power.

What has been already flooded can’t be returned but China has already implemented a plan to help
the people who have been moved. It’s called the development type resettlement plan. In other
words, the Chinese government is trying to compensate what the families had lost by calculating
their total net worth of their home and land. Most of the time the farm land where the people have
been relocated are not as fertile as the ones that are flooded now. The only way the government can
solve this is by giving up more land to each farmer to compensate for what they have lost.

4.2 Conclusion
In conclusion the three gorges dam has affected the Yangtze river and many of the people along it in
a more harmful way than in a positive way. The dam meets China’s energy demands and helps
control flooding in the middle course and lower course. It has a 1 in a 100-year chance of flooding.
There are many navigational improvements as well helping ships travel year-round and help in
transportation process. It will also supply water for nearby towns and valleys. Although there are
many disadvantages with the dam as well. It does not allow fish to naturally flow through the river
for breeding. The dam also traps important sediments which help agriculture in the lower course.
The dam also has forced many people to be relocated to places which aren’t as great as their original
homes. Farmers were given land not as fertile as the land that is flooded. Pollution from flooded
cities and towns have polluted the water and the regular shipping discharge has led to many
creatures to extinction. The dam also keeps the pollution in the reservoir reducing the quality of the
river even more. There could be solutions to these problems as we could raise awareness about
pollution and waste, this is on part of the people, but the government has to take action with the
dam. The dam could have a big gate on one side to release water regularly. The government has
already placed a compensation plan for all the people who have been relocated. The Yangtze river
had always been a major resource for China and the three gorges dam has changed all that. The
three gorges dam has been a major change to the Yangtze River.

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Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

REFERENCES
“Advantages & Disadvantages of the Three Gorges Dam.” Yangtze River Cruises, www.yangtze-river-cruises.com/three-
gorges/pros-cons.html.

Courbet, Gustave. “Environmental Impacts.” Three Gorges Dam Project,

www.mtholyoke.edu/~lpohara/Pol%20116/enviro.html.

“Just Fun Facts.” Fun and Interesting Site, 1 Jan. 1967, justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-yangtze-river/.

Muranov, Aleksandr Pavlovich, and Charles E. Greer. “Yangtze River.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia
Britannica, Inc., 17 Jan. 2018, www.britannica.com/place/Yangtze-River.

Wee, Sui-Lee. “Thousands Being Moved from China's Three Gorges - Again.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 22 Aug. 2012,
www.reuters.com/article/us-china-threegorges/thousands-being-moved-from-chinas-three-gorges-again-
idUSBRE87L0ZW20120822.

WWF. “The Yangtze.” WWF, WWF, www.wwf.org.uk/where-we-work/places/yangtze#how-were-helping-in-the-

yangtze.

WWF. “Threat of Pollution in the Yangtze.” WWF, WWF,

wwf.panda.org/our_work/water/freshwater_problems/river_decline/10_rivers_risk/yangtze/yangtze_threats/.

“Yangtze River.” WWF, 2017,

wwf.panda.org/our_work/water/freshwater_problems/river_decline/10_rivers_risk/yangtze/.

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Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Report Amiyo Das, I&S Class 9A

APPENDICES

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

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