http://www.lawlibrary.co.za/notice/updates/2006/images/threegorgesdam_china_bbcnews.jpgThe main reason why this dam was built was because of the floods that killed many people near the Yangzi for several years. For example, In 1954, 47.75 million acres of land were flooded, killing 33,000 people and forcing 18,000,000 people to move. The flood covered Wuhan, a city with 8 million people, and every facility was out of order for over three months. Not only this, but also in 1998, a flood in the same area caused damage in the range of billions of dollars. This Three Gorges dam will minimize the impact of upcoming major floods in the future.
The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydro-electric power plant, containing 32 generators in total. By this, China is already producing an enormous scale of power energy and it is importing one third of its energy needs. Because the production capacity is gigantic, it also contributes advantages protecting the environment. The Three Gorges Dam potentially reduces the coal consumption by 31 million tons per year, cutting the emission of 100 million tons of greenhouse gas, and significant amount of mercury into the atmosphere.
Shipping navigation would be improved from 10 million to 50 million annually, reducing 30% of the shipping fee. The navigation through the Yangtze would be much safer than the past because of the dense security that would be set up for the commercials. This shipping is not only for business purposes, but also for tourism. The project has received a major spotlight from all over the world, so it’s inevitable to stop tourist eager to see the massive artificial creation.
"Three Gorges Dam." Imperial tours. Imperial tours. 20 May 2008. .
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