THE THREE GORGES PROJECT (TGP)Environmental Impact Assessment :THE THREE GORGES PROJECT (TGP)Environmental Impact Assessment “class presentation”


Slide 2:An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an essential tool for identifying the environmental, social and economic impact of a project in advance, so that damage can be prevented or mitigating action taken.


ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM :ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM


OUTLINE :OUTLINE THE PROJECT AT A GLANCE AIMS OF THE PROJECT NEED FOR EIA & ALTERNATIVES DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT IMPACT ANALYSIS PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOLLOW-UP


THE PROJECT AT A GLANCE :THE PROJECT AT A GLANCE


PROJECT HISTORY :PROJECT HISTORY 1919 : First proposed by Sun Yatsen 1940s' :Preliminary investigation and planning were done. more than 40 years extensive efforts have been made on the investigation, planning, design and scientific research for the Three Gorges Project. An overall examination had been organized by Three Gorges Project Examination Committee of the State Council. April, 1992, the Fifth Session of the 7th National People's Congress passed the resolution on the construction of the Three Gorges Project. December, 1992: Preliminary Design Report of Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River was completed by CWRC and formally approved in July 1993 after an examination organized by the Three Gorges Project Construction Committee (TGPCC) of the State Council


BRIEF INTRODUCTION :BRIEF INTRODUCTION World’s largest hydroelectric dam, in the heart of the Yangtze River in China Aim: Flood control Power generation Navigation improvement Expected investment: 203.9 billion RMB(USD 24.65 billion) the dam is the most extensive and most expensive engineering project in the world. Other estimates put the actual cost much higher


LOCATION :LOCATION


DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT :DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT Lying on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, Yichang covers an area of about 21,000 square kilometers (8,108 square miles). It is an ancient city and its history can be traced back for 4,000 years Map of Yangtze River


CLIMATE AND ACTIVITIES :CLIMATE AND ACTIVITIES Yichang is in a sub-tropical monsoon zone with four distinct seasons. abundant sunshine and rainfall average annual temperature: 15C (59F). average temperature of 25°C on June and July fairly cold winter favorable and pleasant climate during spring and autumn ideal area for growing oranges (warm and moist)


LAYOUT OF THE PROJECT :LAYOUT OF THE PROJECT


SUMMARY OF THE DAM :SUMMARY OF THE DAM Location: Sandouping, Yichang, Hubei province 30°44'18" North, 111°16'27" East Height: 185 m Length: 3035 m NPL (Normal Pool Level): 175 m Total storage capacity: 39.3 b m3 Flood control capacity: 22.15 b m3 Surface area : 1084 km2


ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS :ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS During the feasibility study and the preliminary design stages, overall analysis has been carried out respectively on the feasibility and rationality of the project in the respects of economy and finance. Calculated with the common international and domestic economic evaluation methods, and adopting the shadow price and 12 % social discount rate, TGP's economic internal rate of return is 15. 6 %--14. 8 %, which exceeds the legal social discount rate in China.


FUND SOURCES :FUND SOURCES The Three Gorges Dam Construction Fund Revenue from Gezhouba Power Plant Policy loans from the China Development Bank Loans from domestic and foreign commercial banks Corporate bonds


CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE :CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE


AIMS OF THE PROJECT :AIMS OF THE PROJECT


AIMS OF THE PROJECT :AIMS OF THE PROJECT Flood control With 22.15 billion m3 of flood control storage capacity in its reservoir, the Jingjiang River section will be able to raise its flood control capability from the present state which can control floods that occur about every 10 years, to a level that would control floods occurring on average once in 100 years.


Floods records of Yangtze River :Floods records of Yangtze River


AIMS OF THE PROJECT (continued) :AIMS OF THE PROJECT (continued) Power Generation generating capacity of 18,200MW, and an average annual output of 84.7 terawatt-hours (trillion watt hours) largest hydropower plant in the world ?replacement of 40 to 50 million tons of raw coal combustion each year reliable, cheap and renewable energy : much cleaner than coal, which is now China’s major energy source


Major Parameters of the TGHP units and abroad power plants :Major Parameters of the TGHP units and abroad power plants


AIMS OF THE PROJECT (continued) :AIMS OF THE PROJECT (continued) Navigation Improvement Increase annual one-way navigation capacity: 10 million tons ?50 million tons decrease of the navigation cost: 35%?37% obviously improve the navigation condition in the dry season in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.


AIMS OF THE PROJECT (continued) :AIMS OF THE PROJECT (continued) Miscellaneous On fishery On tourism and recreational activities On water quality (middle and lower reaches of the river during dry season)


NEED FOR EIA & ALTERNATIVES :NEED FOR EIA & ALTERNATIVES


NEED FOR EIA :NEED FOR EIA Ecosystem disruption (biological diversity) In the area of TGP, there are : 47 kinds of precious botanic species near extinction 6 rare wild animals TGD will bring some influence on the traveling route and living locations of some aquatic species 44 relics are influenced by the rise of water level of TG reservoir


NEED FOR EIA(continued) :NEED FOR EIA(continued) Relocation & its social consequences: resettlement Sedimentation/Siltation :reduced water speed behind the dam ?silt accumulation Landslides: most current environmental concern with the TGD Increase of geological pressure from rising water ? earthquake


ALTERNATIVES :ALTERNATIVES Building a series of smaller dams (have less severe environmental impact) Relocation BUT it requires a wide river course and the Yangtze river serves this function best


DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT :DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT


LEGAL FRAMEWORK :Belongs to the central government Responsibility taken by: Hubei province Sichuan province ? Chongqing municipality Implementation carried by the 21 affected counties LEGAL FRAMEWORK


LEGAL FRAMEWORK (continued) :LEGAL FRAMEWORK (continued) CTGPDC (China Three Gorges Project Development Corporation): Owner Responsible for the construction Responsible for the management Maintenance after the project’s completion Guide the whole resettlement work CTGPC was granted as a state authorized investment institution, which has an extensive legal right to use the state capital.


MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR CONSTRUCTION :MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR CONSTRUCTION AO :Administrative Office RDB: Resettlement Development Bureau


MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES :MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES


MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES (continued) :MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES (continued) Site: slight seismic (Degree VI of seismic intensity) Foundation : crystalline rock Bedrock: intact granite Regional seismic activities: small in intensity and low in frequency According to the researches, the geologic structure is stable, and has no geological background for a future heavy earthquake. The possible max earthquake intensity will not exceed class VI, and will not influence most of the project buildings that are designed on the basis of a earthquake of class VII.


MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES (continued) :MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES (continued) Dam : The total length of the dam axis is 2,309.47m with the crest elevation at 185m and a maximum height of 175m. Power Stations: two powerhouses will be placed at the toe of the dam, one on each side. In the left one, about 643.6 m long, 14 sets of turbine generator units will be installed, in the right one, 584.2 m in total length, 12 turbine generator units will be installed.


MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES (continued) :MAIN HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES (continued) Indices of the project


CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND SCHEDULING :Construction Work Quantity The main work quantity to be done in the construction of principal structures and diversion works is as follows:       --Earth-and--rock excavation                        102.59 million m3       --Earth-and--rock embankment                   29. 33 million m3       --Concrete placing                           27.15 million m3       --Re--bar                                           354. 30× 103 tons       --Metal works                                    280. 8×103 tons       -- Installation of turbine generator               26 sets (18, 200 MW) CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND SCHEDULING


DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT (continued) :DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT (continued) COST ESTIMATE: 90.09 billion RMB 50.09 billion : project itself 40 billion: inundation treatment resettlement Due to the difficulty to prevent inflation, the rough estimate is valued to be 203.9 billion


FINANCE :FINANCE Top 5 investors: Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Brazil and Canada (members of the “Organization for Economic and Cooperative Development”) Capital from State: Tax on the power network (depends on the region i.e direct or indirect beneficiary) ?up to 50% of the total fund needed Partial revenue of Gezhouba Power Plant (owned by the TGPDC) TGP power generation (from 2003; the project benefit itself from the power generation )


CONSTRUCTION TIMETABLE :CONSTRUCTION TIMETABLE Total duration : 17 years Preparation and 1st stage construction          5 years (1993--1997) 2nd stage construction                              6 years (1998--2003) 3rd stage construction                               6 years (2004--2009)


AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY :Social Consequences of Relocation Estimated Resettlement Numbers: 1991: 725,000 1992: 1,980,000 2007: 1,200,000 By 2012: 2 million By 2020: 4 million ?In total, over 10 million Chinese have been relocated by dam-related projects throughout China’s history, 46% of them living in extreme poverty Flooding The 400 mile long reservoir of the Three Gorges Dam has flooded 13 cities, 140 towns, 1352 villages, and 100,000 acres of China’s most fertile farm land AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY


IMPACT ANALYSIS :IMPACT ANALYSIS


MAIN IMPACTS :MAIN IMPACTS First order impacts = directly associated with physical, chemical, and geomorphological consequences of dams and reservoir operation: hydrology water quality sediment geology The second order impacts = related to primary changes in the ecosystem: climate habitat quality or quantity primary productivity of algae and plankton Third order impacts = cumulative effects associated with first and second order impacts on the river system: changes in the richness and distribution of aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals social impacts (humans)


MAIN NEGATIVE IMPACTS (Continued) :MAIN NEGATIVE IMPACTS (Continued)


Slide 43:MAIN NEGATIVES IMPACTS


BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT :BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT Improve the flood control standards in the middle and lower stream of the Yangtze Supply clean energy: 660km long waterway improved Navigation Improvement


BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT (CONTINUED) :BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT (CONTINUED) Promote the development of fishery , tourism and recreational activities Create favorable conditions for the South-to-North Water Transfer Improve the water quality in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze as well as at the estuary (during the dry season)


PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN :PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN


PUBLIC CONCERN :PUBLIC CONCERN Dai Qing, a Chinese journalist and eminent critic of the dam, presented his book “Yangtze! Yangtze! ” to the State Council was imprisoned for 10 months after he called the TGD “the most environmentally and socially destructive project in the world”. The same year, after the Tiananmen Square protests, the government suppressed any opposition of the project, accusing critics of undermining the political regime, and the project was pushed forward.


PUBLIC CONCERN (CONTINUED) :PUBLIC CONCERN (CONTINUED) Relocatees say: "They come, like devils, to knock down our homes," said villager Fu. "Why are they so hard on us?"  "What good has come of this? Nothing! We have been kicked aside."


MITIGATION MEASURES :MITIGATION MEASURES Toward the environment An overall planning is needed: urban construction rural development, resettlement projects, environmental protection works etc Creation of national parks to protect important natural resources and historical relics Increase green area in the construction site Toward the local population Building of 12 modern cities for resettlement 60 % of rural population will continue to be engaged in agricultural production 40 % need new job opportunities to be created in the second and tertiary industries promotion of the local economy: a portion of profits from power generation will be allocated as development funds to this region.


RESETTLEMENT :RESETTLEMENT


SOIL EROSION MONITORING :SOIL EROSION MONITORING After the construction of the three gorges dam, the government pays more attention to the environmental problem of the cities situated near the dam Soil erosion monitoring in the at Sixi Ecological Park


MITIGATION MEASURES (continued) :MITIGATION MEASURES (continued) Example of government aid to the local people: Silkworm ?The farmers are suggested to plant trees for silkworm. The government helps the farmers through the industries buying the cocoon.


Slide 53:FOLLOW-UP


FOLLOW-UP :FOLLOW-UP There are more problems that have risen more than anticipated. About 40 billion RMB will be spent to build at least 150 STP and 170 urban garbage disposal centers (many of these are not yet complete)


FOLLOW-UP (continued) :FOLLOW-UP (continued) Since summer of 2007, there has been report on: growing risk of new landslides due to seismic activities and geological instability, pollution, and flooding impact on fisheries industry as well as growing social and political unrest and dissatisfaction associated with relocating millions of people extra excess economic costs to improve and maintain the reservoir through STP sedimentation reaching the East China Sea thus affecting the fertility increase of silt in dam would clog the turbines risking again for another world’s catastrophe. being an area of active tectonic movement, the reservoir has induced seismicity.


FOLLOW-UP (continued) :FOLLOW-UP (continued) Soil erosion decreased by more than 40 million tons last year in the reservoir area of TG: the forest coverage reaches 34.5% Environmental monitoring in 2003 indicates that overall management of water quality in TGP area has obtained made initial achievement, with a decrease ratio at class IV and increase at class II and III compared to the period before impoundment.


PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT :PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT Navigation started in June 2003 Construction completed on May 20th 2006 As of today, there is already a massive ecological loss


CONCLUSION :CONCLUSION


Slide 59:As one of the biggest hydropower-complex project in the world, TGP ranks as the key project for improvement and development of Yangtze River. Although the TGP Reservoir is not the reservoir with the biggest capacity in the world, its reserved flood control capacity can help cut flood peak by 27,000 ~ 33,000 m3/s, the biggest for a water conservancy project in the world.


Slide 60:Despite its economic benefits, the Three Gorges Dam has been referred to as “The most environmentally and socially destructive project in the world” (Dai Qing)


THANK YOU!!! :THANK YOU!!!