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The Environmental Threat
Environmental concerns about the Three Gorges Dam go beyond the affected wildlife and endangered species. River sediment is a major threat that could undo all the positive effects the dam is supposed to bring. Extensive farming and unrestricted logging along the Yangtze's banks have increased the earth's erosion into the river, making it the fourth largest sediment carrier in the world.
Sediment buildup from the natural flow of the river will slowly cause the water level in the reservoir to rise - potentially flooding low-lying parts of Chongqing. Rising water levels could eventually transform the Three Gorges Dam into a massive waterfall. Tens of millions of the people who live downstream of the dam would be endangered by overflow, or worse yet, the one in one thousand chance of a dam collapse due to war, earthquake or design flaws.
Three Gorges Dam sluice gates
(3D computer image)
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Chinese experts have proposed a solution to the sediment problem. In order to flush sediment through, project engineers have designed a series of openings known as sluice gates at the base of the dam. These sluice gates have never been tested on a dam of this magnitude. Nowhere in the world is there a successful model that deals with sediment on this scale.
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Another environmental hazard are the toxins in over 1,600 factories and mines that will be flooded in the Three Gorges area. These dangerous materials may affect the water of the reservoir once the factories and mines are submerged. In addition, an estimated 265 billion gallons of raw sewage are dumped into the Yangtze annually. Damming the river will prevent this sewage from being naturally flushed out.
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