Why Should China Build the Three Gorges Dam
Although the Three Gorges Dam is somewhat a burden on the Chinese people, there are many advantages in constructing the Three Gorges Dam, and among them are flood control, power generation, improved shipping conditions and tourism attractions.
The dam will control flooding because; the capacity of Three Gorges Dam flood control reservoir is about 22.15 billion cubic meters, which can control the upstream flood efficiently. Even in dire flood situations, the dam can automatically control the flow of the river within an acceptable range of safety. With the help of the flood diversion structure, the Three Gorges Dam Project will protect both banks of the Yangtze River from suffering the kind of destruction that has occurred over the past 1000 years. This Project not only solves the threat of flood, but also prevents the Jingjiang River from disasters.
The average annual power generation from the Three Gorges Dam is about 84 billion kilowatt-hours, which can substitute about 0.5 billion tons of coal. It’s sufficient to be used in Central China, East China and the Eastern Sichuan Province. Power generation will have positive effects on the pressure of transportation and environmental pollution.
The shipping in China will increase because, when the Three Gorges Dam Project completes, the reservoir would form a deep channel with a distance of 660 kilometers. Experts said this channel could improve the shipping condition of Chongqing. Some dangerous shoals will be submerged, so it will affect the speed of water and the depth of shipping. Of course, the efficiency of transportation will improve and its cost will decrease by 35% to 37%
Three Gorges Dam Project is as much a tourist attraction as a dam. The special-purpose road of Three Gorges Dam Project was built in 1994 and began operation in October 1996. It is 28.64 kilometers long. 40% of the road is occupied by a total 35 bridges and 5 tunnels. Among those tunnels is Muyucao, the longest road tunnel (3610 meters)
The dam will control flooding because; the capacity of Three Gorges Dam flood control reservoir is about 22.15 billion cubic meters, which can control the upstream flood efficiently. Even in dire flood situations, the dam can automatically control the flow of the river within an acceptable range of safety. With the help of the flood diversion structure, the Three Gorges Dam Project will protect both banks of the Yangtze River from suffering the kind of destruction that has occurred over the past 1000 years. This Project not only solves the threat of flood, but also prevents the Jingjiang River from disasters.
The average annual power generation from the Three Gorges Dam is about 84 billion kilowatt-hours, which can substitute about 0.5 billion tons of coal. It’s sufficient to be used in Central China, East China and the Eastern Sichuan Province. Power generation will have positive effects on the pressure of transportation and environmental pollution.
The shipping in China will increase because, when the Three Gorges Dam Project completes, the reservoir would form a deep channel with a distance of 660 kilometers. Experts said this channel could improve the shipping condition of Chongqing. Some dangerous shoals will be submerged, so it will affect the speed of water and the depth of shipping. Of course, the efficiency of transportation will improve and its cost will decrease by 35% to 37%
Three Gorges Dam Project is as much a tourist attraction as a dam. The special-purpose road of Three Gorges Dam Project was built in 1994 and began operation in October 1996. It is 28.64 kilometers long. 40% of the road is occupied by a total 35 bridges and 5 tunnels. Among those tunnels is Muyucao, the longest road tunnel (3610 meters)