Background

The Three Gorges Dam, located in the town of Sandouping, spans the Yangtze River to provide hydroelectric power and flood control to the growing population in China. With a length of 2,335 meters and a height of 185 meters, The People's Republic of China has built the largest electricity-generating dam in the world.

The Yangtze River is the third largest river in the world. It flows swift and cold from it's source in the high mountains of Qinghai Province and frequently floods, killing hundreds every year. The Three Gorges Dam was built in part to protect the people who live and farm on the banks of the river.

The Chinese government has worked hard since Sun Yat-sen proposed the project in 1919 to raise the funds needed for this massive industrial project (with a current estimated cost of over twenty-four billion dollars, US currency). The project has greatly overblown it's budget, resulting in expressed concern from critics around the world.

But the project has always been controversial. The relocation of people has raised eyebrows for civil rights, but even more concerning are the economic and environmental impacts. The waters are expected to be highly polluted, and many native species are being threatened.

Construction is currently completed, but the hydroelectric power is not expected to be used until 2011. The dam's life expectancy is an estimated fifty years.

For an Annual Power Output graph please visit http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d8/Three_gorges_dam_annual_power_output.JPG