Three Gorges Probe
November 23, 2000

Nov. 16, 2000 – Guangzhou Daily reports that 100 experts from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan attended a mid-October conference at the Three Gorges dam site to discuss dam-related technical issues, including whether the filling of the dam’s reservoir would trigger earthquakes. The experts agreed that the weight of the water in the 600-kilometre Three Gorges dam reservoir is likely to cause earthquakes, but their magnitude will not be very large, ranging from 4.0 to 5.5 on the Richter scale.
Two sections of the reservoir are most likely to experience earthquakes: the first section, from the dam site to Miaohe in Hubei province, has a tectonic structure characterized by weak earthquakes, generally under 4.0 on the Richter scale. Seismic activity here is expected to have no significant impact on the safety of the dam. The other section, from Miaohe to Baidicheng, a popular tourist attraction near Fengjie, which is about 160 kilometres from the dam site, could experience reservoir-induced earthquakes up to 5.0 on the Richter scale. Studies on reservoir – induced earthquakes have been ongoing in the Three Gorges area for 30 years and an earthquake-monitoring system has been established in the region.

Three Gorges Probe welcomes submissions. However, it is not a forum for political debate. Rather, Three Gorges Probe is dedicated to covering the scientific, technical, economic, social, and environmental ramifications of completing the Three Gorges Project, as well as the alternatives to the dam.

Publisher: Patricia Adams
Executive Editor: Mu Lan
Assistant Editor: Lisa Peryman
ISSN 1481-0913