Three Gorges Cleanup Fails to Gain in China

The Wall Street Journal ^ | February 21, 2008 | By Shai Oster

[JACKRUSSELL]

(BEIJING) -- Water quality in China's Three Gorges reservoir hasn't improved despite an ambitious, multibillion-dollar effort to clean up the lake created by construction of the world's largest dam, according to China's top environmental-regulatory agency.

The report reveals the continuing difficulties China's leaders face in managing the Three Gorges Dam, which was supposed to be a flagship national project but instead has generated an array of unforeseen consequences, from water pollution to landslides along the shores of its massive reservoir.

According to the study by the State Environmental Protection Administration, $2.5 billion has already been spent on cleanup projects such as new waste-water-treatment and garbage plants since 2000, but only one-third of the projects have been completed. And some of the newly built facilities aren't running at full capacity, the report said. Construction of the dam officially cost 180 billion yuan, or about $25 billion at current conversion rates.

The report said that water in the dam's 400-mile-long, man-made reservoir, which stretches west from the dam to the shores of central China's Chongqing city, is good enough for drinking, fishing and swimming.

But the water quality deteriorated along tributaries flowing into the reservoir through about 42 neighboring counties, the report said.

Planners underestimated the impact of quickened economic growth in the region, it noted. "With the fast development of the economy and society in the reservoir area and the rising levels of the reservoir, pollution control work in the Three Gorges area and the upstream water faces new challenges," the report said.

Problems could worsen once the reservoir, now only partially filled to about 515 feet above sea level, reaches its maximum height of 578 feet as early as this year. According to a separate report in China's state-run media, work on the dam, including boat lifts and power......

[JACKRUSSELL]

(Please FReepmail me if you would like to be on or off of the list.)

[ChildOfThe60s]

If that thing goes, I hope the event is recorded on film. It will be unbelievable.

[DB]

400 hundred miles of reservoir?

Wow...

If that fails it will set a new record for destruction down stream...

[A message]

the Three Gorges Dam, which was supposed to be a flagship national project but instead has generated an array of unforeseen consequences

The fruits of Communism. Amazing how leftists utopias create so much long term environmental damage.

[Don W]

Another example of that is the death of the Aral sea. The Russian communists diverted 3 large rivers and stopped refilling the Aral sea. It’s now a briny lake.

[restornu]

(BEIJING) — Water quality in China’s Three Gorges reservoir hasn’t improved despite an ambitious, multibillion-dollar effort to clean up the lake created by construction of the world’s largest dam, according to China’s top environmental-regulatory agency.

Maybe someday they might add prayer as a necessary ingredient.

[geopyg]

I think you mean “when”.

And I would guess not too long after they get it completely filled. (Although I would take a guess that they will see small failures BEFORE it gets 100%, and will not fill it all the way>)