The Controversy Behind China’s Dams Sophia Luong Megan Kleinedler Eric Sorenson

Why is this important to research? The goals of dam construction in China are to achieve the maximum possible benefits by minimizing the negative effects on the social, environmental, ecological aspects and cultural relics through fully and rationally utilizing the nature resources Calls attention to possible negative impacts of a supposed cheap and safe method of energy.

Question Do the positive impacts of China’s dams outweigh the negative effects on China and downstream countries?

Background Info on Dams Energy  Electricity  Trap water flowing downhill and use the energy to turn turbines (

History of China’s Dam Projects 1949 Heavily campaigned dam projects during Communist era “Engineering achievements”, in actuality, led to thousands of collapsed dams -Banqiao dam Poor construction/planning

Three Gorges Dam Largest hydroelectric dam in the world Benefits: - Flood control - Hydroelectric power Costs: million people displaced - environment - cultural sites

Debate!! Megan Kleinedler Chinese farmer forced to resettle in Cambodia Head coordinator of Three Gorges Dam river project vs.

Cost

Resettlement Roughly 70 percent of the country’s 10.2 million "reservoir relocatees" were still living in "extreme poverty” after the resettlement.

Environment

Local Culture and Natural Beauty

Countries estimated to have the largest irrigation systems : Irrigation In East andSouth-East Asia: Most irrigated countries: China million ha Thailand million ha Indonesia million ha Japan million ha Vietnam million ha Least irrigated countries: (less than ha under irrigation) Brunei Darussalam Cambodia Hong Kong Laos Mongolia Source: FAOSTAT Database, UN Food & Agriculture Organisation,1999

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Flood Control Disease