Title Three Gorges Dam China Author Information Tina Crawford American River College, Geography 26: Data Acquisition in GIS; Spring 2006 Abstract The Three Gorges Dam is located on the Yangtze River in China. The Yangtze River is the 3rd largest river in the world providing water for 25 % of China’s agricultural lands. It is approximately 3700 miles long with about 30 industrial cities along its banks. Although the idea for the Three Gorges Dam originated in 1919 construction didn’t commence until 1994 and is estimated for completion in 2009 – 2013. The purpose of this dam is not only to provide flood control but will also provide hydro-electric power. This dam will be 1 mile wide and 600 meters long, has a 24 hour construction schedule costing China 70-100 billion dollars. Even with an aggressive construction schedule and the enormous budget there continues to be reports of corruption consisting of shady or substandard construction. Also hindering this project is the many cultural and environmental problems, such as, the drowning of many cities and archeological sites, the extinction of the Yangtze River Dolphin, the Chinese Sturgeon, and the Yangtze Alligator. Most importantly the construction of this dam will cause the displacement of approximately one million people. Million’s of people who are being displaced into ethnically biased neighborhoods, given less productive farmland and are not receiving the full fiscal compensation promised to them by the Chinese government <img src="img_7013.jpg" <img src="resettlevil199.jpg" Introduction Is the Three Gorges Dam necessary? This Dam will provide power for approximately 10% of the Chinese population, thus reducing the practice of coal burning, and it will also give flood control desperately need by the cities along its banks. Do these benefits out-weight the many negative impacts the dam will cause both culturally and environmentally? Background Acquiring and GIS data for this project was an absolute impossibility. I did find many articles and pictures online using the Google search engine. I used the following three articles for this project: Online Newhour, Three Gorges Dam – October 8, 1997, www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/july-dec97/gorges_10-8.html, Spencer Michaels, Dai Qing, Elizabeth Farnsworth, Arthur Zich, & Bob Sacha; Three Gorges of Yangtze River Dam Project, http://cruises.about.com/cs/destinations/a/three_gorges.htm, Linda Garrison; Three Gorges case study, www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/sijpkes/arch374/winter2001/dbiggs/three.html. Methods When I first started researching the Three Gorges Dam my goal was to find non-biased and fact only reporting, fortunately I was able to locate the desired articles and brilliant photography with relatively little work. I was, however, very disappointed with the lack of GIS data. The GIS data depot did have GIS data for China but didn’t offer any metadata with the dataset and it also wasn’t free. Results If I had found some GIS data I would loved to have shown the relocation where all of the displaced people were being moved to, where industrial and human waste enter the river and which cities and archeological sites that will soon be underwater. Figures and maps <img src="3g199.jpg" > <img src="THREE17_med.jpg" <img src="175metres99.jpg" Conclusion The Three Gorges Dam represents China’s obsession with becoming a dominant part of the modern world. Is it necessary? Alternative studies suggest that a series of smaller dams constructed along the river will produce the same amount of hydro-electric power and flood control while minimizing the cultural and environmental devastation. In order for China to emerge as a modern country it needs focus on humanity and the environment as well as technology. <img src="THREEG1.jpg.jpg"