In 1911, plans were made to build a massive dam across the Yangtze to control the flow of water, prevent catastrophic floods that devastate the cities along its banks, and harness the power of the river to produce much-needed electricity. However, it was only after massive floods in the 1980s that the national and regional governments decided that the project could no longer be delayed. Work finally began in 1989, and is scheduled to be completed by 2009.

The dam, near the town of Sandouping, northwest of Yichang, will be 1.3 miles long, over 600 feet high, and will contain twenty-six 400-ton turbines which will eventually generate over 18,200 MW of electricity. It will be the biggest dam ever built anywhere in the world, and is expected to cost nearly $20 billion. Behind the dam, a reservoir over 370 miles long will be created, submerging a huge area including some of the most beautiful and majestic landscapes in China, the Three Gorges between Fengjie and Yichang. Huge locks, bigger than any previously built, will take large cargo ships up into the reservoir. Some 2 million people will be displaced, and 1,400 towns and villages will be covered by the waters of the lake.

The project has generated massive controversy. Those who are in favour of the dam are keen to point out the benefits it will bring:

• China’s industries and its growing population will benefit from the electricity which will be generated by the hydro-electric plants. ‘I will forever miss the place we have lived for generations. But we must sacrifice personal interest for the good of the country...’ — Zheng Xinnian, village leader.
• Flooding will at last be controlled, preventing huge loss of life.
• The new reservoir will give access upstream to ships ten times bigger than those which can currently navigate the middle reaches of the river.
• The increased trade will bring prosperity to the communities in the interior, which until now have been poor and remote. ‘The whole world is watching this project, it’s an honour to be part of it — an experience I’ll cherish the rest of my life...’ — Jiang Zaiying, construction worker.
• Hydroelectric plants are ‘cleaner’ than coal-fired power stations, which will mean reduced pollution and improved health.
• Many new jobs will be created: 60,000 workers are already employed on the dam construction site alone. ‘Farmers find it hard to survive in an industrialised society. They want to work in the factories but the transition is difficult and few of them adjust. They have no skills. They lack education. They lack the attitude one needs to learn. They have no sense of time, of living by the clock...’ — Pang Xiaolong, manager of construction firm.
• Much-needed water will be provided for the northern Chinese plain, and dozens of new towns and cities will be constructed, with better housing and facilities, better transport links and greater opportunities for their inhabitants. ‘The dam will make life better for our children. They’ll have electric lights, television, be able to study their lessons. With luck they’ll go to university and bring honour to our family...’ — Hu Hongrong, labourer.

The dam’s opponents, however, including many concerned international observers and experts, have equally strong arguments against the project:

• Nearly 2 million people will be forced to leave their homes as the waters of the new lake rise and flood towns and cities. The city of Wanxian alone will be two-thirds submerged: 8.5 square miles of the city and surrounding areas will be covered, with 900 productive factories lost and a quarter of a million people uprooted. ‘Where will I go? I’m old. I can’t read. I have no skills. I’ll have to decide which son to live with.’ — Qu Zharun, orange farmer.
• People forced to leave their homes will have little choice about where to resettle, and will be given only 5000 yuan per head towards their moving and rebuilding costs. ‘We’re supposed to get 5,000 yuan ($600) a head for resettlement. The central government gives the money to our provincial officials. They give it to the county, and the county gives it to the city bosses. But as it goes down the line, each official takes his cut. Who knows what will be left by the time it gets to us?’ — displaced villager.
• 240,000 acres of prime farmland will be lost, along with the food and raw materials grown on it. ‘It’s a pity that so much fertile land must be lost. My family has been here since the Ming dynasty [ended AD 1644]. I don’t know when we’ll have to move. Or even where we’ll be moved. You have to take what the state gives you. There is no bargaining...’ — Zhang Yonglin, farmer.
• The beautiful Yangtze Gorges will be lost. ‘Apart from irreparable damage to the soil, the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the area would be permanently damaged as well. I think the Three Gorges is the most beautiful of all the world’s gorges...’ — Han Xueyu, botanist.
• The dam and the reservoir will increase the likelihood of earthquakes and landslides in the region.
• There is a danger that the massive locks designed to lift ships into the reservoir will silt up because of technical problems connected with the flow of the river; if this happens, there is the potential for a disaster as great as that which would be caused by a breach in the dam.
• Pollution and toxic waste from thousands of abandoned and submerged factories will seep into the waters of the reservoir and poison them.
• Priceless archaeological sites, some only recently discovered, will be lost under the water, and with them our chance to learn more about the past. ‘The surrounding areas have many national treasures, some more than 5,000 years old...’ — Han Xueyu, botanist.

These arguments are bitterly traded. It will be many years before the actual effects of the dam are fully known. What is certain is that it will transform the lives of millions of people well into the future, for good or ill.