(May 15, 2008) As China reels following Monday’s earthquake, scientists are just beginning to figure out the complex mechanics that triggered a temblor of such destructive force and widespread reach.
Chinese dams compromised by earthquake; authorities on alert
(May 14, 2008) In the wake of China’s massive earthquake, and amidst the desperate recovery effort, Chinese authorities have still more to worry about as damage to existing dams becomes evident.
China’s deadly earthquake: Was the Three Gorges reservoir a trigger?
(May 14, 2008) The world’s earthquake experts have identified tectonic plate movements as the cause of this week’s earthquake in southwestern China. But the question now is did the filling of the massive Three Gorges reservoir, which reaches the southeastern part of the Sichuan Basin, trigger seismic activity in what has always been an earthquake-prone region?
China says troops rush to plug dangerous cracks in dam
(May 13, 2008) The Zipingpu dam has been left with dangerous cracks as a result of Monday’s deadly earthquake, AP reports.
Special Report: Strong quake jolts SW China
(May 13, 2008) Earthquake forecasting remains a “hard nut” to crack, a Chinese expert told reporters here on Tuesday.
Disaster set off by colliding land masses
(May 13, 2008) The earthquake in the Sichuan Province of China on Monday was a result of a continuing collision between India and Asia.
Financial Times: Three Gorges dam repeats “stupid mistake”
(March 11, 2008) FT correspondent Jamil Anderlini describes the 1960s-era Sanmenxia dam on the Yellow River as a disastrous precedent for the much larger Three Gorges project, which is nearing completion this year. A former communist party boss in Shaanxi province, the region most directly affected by Sanmenxia, is quoted saying the dam was “really a stupid mistake” that has brought “severe disasters to the people living near the river.”
How Dams Fail
(May 1, 2008) There are different types of dams classified by the material and design used in construction. These differences influence how and why dams fail. A dam can be classified by its material, indicating whether it is earthen or concrete. Dam components can also include iron, steel or timber or a combination of any of the above.
FACT SHEET: Measuring Earthquakes
(May 1, 2008) The Richter scale provides an objective way of measuring and comparing the size of earthquakes using a mathematical device.
Leading Causes of Dam Failure
(May 1, 2008) Overtopping occurs when the level of a reservoir exceeds the capacity or height of the dam. This can be caused by an inadequate or dysfunctional spillway or by settlement of the dam crest (for an explanation of settlement, see foundation defects).
THREE GORGES ORAL HISTORY SERIES: Absence of Justice: Lu Chengming’s Struggle for Compensation
Translation by Madeleine Ross and Fang Li
(download pdf)
Establishment of Zigui GPS-CR Landslide Monitoring Network in the Three Gorge reservoir area
(April 26, 2008) To apply INSAR observation technique to the Three Gorge Reservoir’s landslide monitoring, we’ve installed 10 corner reflectors on the landslide within Zigui county of the Three Gorge Reservoir area, meanwhile, set up GPS observation point, preliminarily forming GPS-CR landslide monitoring network. This paper of both INSAR observation technique and GPS observation technique in landslide monitoring researches.
Three Gorges transmission lines down amid power shortages
Heavy snowstorms felled three power transmission towers along a majorline of the Three Gorges dam, disrupting a link in central China’s transmission system, Xinhua news agency reported last month.
Storm-damaged power grids and chronic shortages of coal, which fuels three quarters of China’s electricity supply, have contributed to power shortages that have forced more than a dozen provinces to ration electricity.
British insurance broker awarded Three Gorges contract
A London-based insurance broker, Willis Group Holdings, has been awarded a two-year contract as the insurance consultant for the Three Gorges project, according to Joy Shaw, correspondent for MarketWatch in Shanghai.
Financial Times: Three Gorges dam repeats “stupid mistake”
Former communist party chief An Qingyuan is quoted saying the Sanmenxia dam on the Yellow River was a “stupid mistake” that has brought “severe disasters to the people living near the river.” He and others warn that Sanmenxia sets a disastrous precedent for the much larger Three Gorges project.
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