This Controversial Chinese Dam Is So Big It Messed With the Planet
The Three Gorges Dam in China is a structure so huge that it controls one of the world’s most powerful rivers—and even slightly slows down the Earth’s rotation. It was built to generate electricity, prevent floods, and improve navigation, but it’s also one of the most controversial projects ever. While it does provide clean energy and protects millions from floods, critics point to environmental damage, mass displacement, and even earthquake risks. Here’s the story behind this giant dam and why it’s so debated.
A Vision from Sun Yat-sen
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The idea for the Three Gorges Dam isn’t new. It dates back to 1919 when Sun Yat-sen, often called the father of modern China, proposed harnessing the power of the Yangtze River. He believed a massive dam could prevent disastrous floods and generate electricity to fuel China’s growing industries. However, political turmoil and wars delayed the project for decades.
A Dam of Epic Proportions
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This is no ordinary dam—it’s an absolute giant. It stretches over 7,660 feet across the Yangtze River, stands 607 feet tall, and required 463,000 metric tons of steel to build—enough to construct about 63 Eiffel Towers. While some rumors claim it can be seen from space, that’s a myth. But its sheer scale is still mind-blowing.
Three Big Reasons for Building It
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The dam was designed to serve three main purposes. First, it was meant to control flooding, as the Yangtze River has caused catastrophic disasters for centuries. The dam now helps protect major cities like Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai from seasonal floods. Second, it generates an enormous amount of electricity. Its capacity of 22,500 megawatts provides clean energy to millions of homes and industries, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Lastly, it improves navigation. The dam allows larger ships to move up and down the Yangtze.
An Insatiable Powerhouse
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The Three Gorges Dam is a true energy giant. It has 34 massive generators that convert the river’s power into electricity and produce the equivalent of burning 50 million tons of coal or 25 million tons of crude oil every year. Even with all this energy, it still only meets about 2-3% of China’s electricity demand.
Decades in the Making
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Sun Yat-sen’s idea took nearly a century to become reality. Plans were drawn up in the 1940s with help from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, but China’s civil war put everything on hold. Construction officially started in 1994. The dam began operating in 2009, and engineers are still making adjustments today.
Delays and Controversy
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The project faced enormous challenges. It was originally set for completion in 2008 but was delayed due to soaring costs, environmental concerns, and the enormous task of relocating over 1.2 million people. Political corruption and debates over its impact also slowed things down.
Water Pollution Woes
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One major downside of the dam is its impact on the Yangtze River’s ecosystem. When the reservoir filled up, it submerged waste facilities and mining sites, possibly releasing pollutants. Around 265 million gallons of raw sewage also flow into the river each year, harming aquatic life and endangering communities that rely on the water.
A Human Cost: Mass Relocation
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Building the dam meant flooding entire towns and villages and forcing about 1.2 million people to relocate. Even today, more residents are being moved as the reservoir expands. This massive displacement has led to concerns about lost cultural heritage and how well the affected communities are adapting to their new homes.
A Lifesaver for Flood Control
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Despite its controversies, the dam has successfully prevented major floods. Before it was built, the Yangtze River caused devastating floods every 10 years. Now, with a 405-square-mile reservoir and 22 cubic kilometers of flood storage capacity, that risk has been reduced to once every 100 years.
The World’s Biggest Power Station
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The dam’s power generation is unmatched. With a capacity of 22,500 megawatts, it dwarfs the Hoover Dam’s 2,080 MW—more than 10 times the power! However, because China has such a massive energy demand, it still only covers a small percentage of the country’s needs.
Environmental Damage
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The area around the dam is home to an incredibly diverse ecosystem, including 6,000 plant species, 3,400 types of insects, and over 500 species of animals. Unfortunately, the dam has disrupted habitats, caused landslides, and even changed local weather patterns. The erosion from the reservoir also affects fisheries in the East China Sea.
A Hefty Price Tag
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Big projects come with big costs. While initial estimates put the dam’s cost at around $25 billion, the true price may be even higher–upto $37 billion. The dam also submerged 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1,600 villages—forever changing the region’s landscape.
It Literally Slowed Down the Earth
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Believe it or not, the dam’s massive reservoir holds 39.3 billion cubic meters of water—so much that it actually altered Earth’s rotation. The redistribution of water slightly increased the planet’s moment of inertia and made each day about 0.06 microseconds longer. That’s the same effect as a figure skater extending their arms to slow down.
A High-Tech Ship Elevator
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Ever wonder how ships get past such a massive dam? Engineers built a state-of-the-art ship lift—the world’s largest vertical ship elevator. It can raise or lower vessels weighing up to 3,000 tons in just 30 to 40 minutes. Before, using the old five-stage lock system took up to four hours.
Could It Trigger Earthquakes?
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One of the biggest concerns is the weight of the dam’s reservoir. Some scientists believe the massive water displacement has increased seismic activity in the region. Changes in water levels can alter gravity fields and potentially trigger earthquakes—a phenomenon known as reservoir-induced seismicity.