(February 14, 2001) Chinese officials alarmed at looming environmental crisis at Three Gorges dam, internal documents reveal.

(February 17, 2001) South China Morning Post follows up Probe International’s lead on government attempt to mislead public. Leaked documents cast doubt on government claims about Three Gorges dam.

(March 2, 2001)

(1) China schedules progress of Three Gorges Project
(2) Chinese media picks up on TGP’s lead

(March 5, 2001)

(1) Residents in Three Gorges reservoir area apply to move out
(2) Clean-up of river a sham – academic
(3) Insurers share 3 Gorges coverage
(4) Two more Yangtze dams planned
(5) Resettlement rules
(6) Project to be launched to improve the environment of Three Gorges area

(March 13, 2001)

(1) Plan curbs Three Gorges pollution
(2) China speeds up plans for water diversion project
(3) Thousands to be moved for water transfer project

(March 23, 2001) A Three Gorges Probe exclusive: Five farmers who helped organize petitions by communities being resettled to make way for the Three Gorges dam have been abducted by police in the last three weeks.

(April 10, 2001)

(1) U.S. scientists predict Three Gorges dam could alter climate
(2) Severe drought threatens power production at China’s Ertan dam
(3) 75,000 people to be relocated as part of Longtan Power Station project

(June 27, 2001) Chongqing municipality has pledged to spend more than one billion dollars cleaning up the heavily polluted Yangtze River to prevent the dam’s 600-kilometre reservoir from becoming a cesspool.

(July 19, 2001) Hong Kong journal ZhengMing openly questions charges against Three Gorges farmers arrested for trying to expose corruption.

(July 23, 2001)

(1) Corruption impacts China’s Three Gorges resettlement
(2) Many Chinese farmers oppose Three Gorges resettlement

(July 30, 2001) Acclaimed Three Gorges dam documentary airs again.

(September 25, 2001) An inside source reports the Chinese government is planning to channel a budget of US$2.5 billion to help treat water pollution in the Three Gorges reservoir over a 10-year period.

(October 31, 2001) Hundreds of factories, hospitals and other buildings containing hazardous materials are to be dismantled and their sites scrubbed clean before the Three Gorges dam reservoir is filled to the 135-metre level in 2003. But as the deadline looms, concern is mounting that time is too short for an environmental cleanup of this magnitude.

(November 21, 2001) Li Peng, long-time champion of the Three Gorges dam, has raised concerns about the project’s giant turbines, which will be larger and more complicated than any ever attempted before.