Hard Engineering Case Study: Three Gorges Dam

Name: Three Gorges Dam
Location: Yangtze River in China
What's Special About It: Largest Hard Engineering Project ever undertaken on a river
Size: 2.3km long and 100m high

Positives J

Negatives L

-Will be used to generate hydroelectric energy for central and eastern China including the city of Shanghai, home to 13 million people -Environmentally friendly as it produces renewable energy -It is replacing coal power stations which produce lots of pollution, use up fossil fuels and contribute to climate change -It will reduce the risk of flooding for 15 million people

-High cost (£25 billion to build) -Led to the resettlement of 1.2 million people to new cities like Wushan -Fishermen were ordered to leave and now can’t make a living -Amount of sediment transported by the river has fallen by 50% leading to increased rates of erosion further downstream -Sediment which accumulates behind the dam will require dredging, which is expensive and requires lots of energy -Led to more afforestation being needed to reduce the amount of sediment going into the reservoir -Increased likelihood of landslides which has damaged houses -Generated resentment -Because the river is slower the effluence going into it can’t float away -Cultural monuments have been lost including the Zhang Fei Temple -New houses are only partially subsidised by the government -Species like the White flag dolphin will have their habitats disrupted