Posted on 06/13/2003 12:23:01 AM PDT by sarcasm
BEIJING — In a rare admission of problems at the giant Three Gorges Dam in central China, officials said yesterday that cracks found in the dam could leak if not fixed.
The comments contrasted with government claims that the dam on the Yangtze River has been a success since its reservoir began to fill June 1.
The government said the water on Tuesday reached the depth necessary to allow ships to sail on the reservoir.
Inspectors have found about 80 cracks in the dam's surface, said Pan Jiazhong, head of the construction committee inspection group. He said that while they weren't a threat to safety, they could expand and cause leaking if not repaired.
"If water enters these cracks, there could be negative effects, so we are fixing them very carefully," Pan said at a news conference.
Chinese officials say the dam will control chronic flooding on the Yangtze and produce power needed by industry.
Critics say the dam is a waste of money and could worsen pollution by trapping sewage and industrial waste. They say an accident could cause a catastrophe in the densely populated area.
The government has moved some 720,000 of a total of 1.3 million people who are to be relocated from areas due to be inundated by the reservoir, said Guo Shuyan, director of the construction committee.
Dozens of towns and small cities have been flooded by the reservoir and 13 larger communities have been rebuilt on higher land with what the government says are much improved facilities.
Guo said the problem was being studied and proposals, including the introduction of fruit growing, tourism and animal raising, were being considered.
Critics also complain of corruption and negligence in resettlement work. Scattered reports say some of the tens of thousands of people moved to other parts of China have returned to the gorges area after finding their new homes inadequate.
Plans call for the reservoir's water level eventually to rise to 577 feet.
At that point, the reservoir will flood an area covering 254 square miles.
Ruh roh.
Show of hands, who's surprised...anybody??
I'll say! The dam is hardly starting to fill.
Can you imagine that thing filling up to the brim and them letting loose? They think they had floods before, but boy, howdy!
"If water enters these cracks, there could be negative effects"Sure, but what are the odds. It's a dam. [rimshot!]
George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent
One of the sad consequnces of this dam is the loss of untold antiquities from a myriad of ancient burial sites and settlements. They are flooding a vast storehouse of irreplaceable artifacts from their own past.
As far as the cracks, well, of course.
What a target for about 100 cruise missles... or one theater nuke.. could take out the power for most of China...
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