2010-06-23 China - Three Gorges Dam

Today was our introduction to the Three Gorges Dam, a colossal 1.3 mile wide and 610 feet tall project started in 1992. The project has continued since then, and will be finally complete in 2011. There will be an elevator for small ships! Larger ships will have to use a series of 5 locks. Almost 2 million people have already been relocated as the river has risen up to 330 feet, with another 100 feet to go, and as many as 6 million people will eventually be relocated. The project is submerging almost 2,000 villages, towns and cities. The three benefits of the dam are flood control, power generation (equivalent to 18 nuclear power plants) and safer, improved navigation on the river. There is a lot more information at the links, or google "three gorges dam" for even more discussion and photos.