(November 18, 2009) Scientists have seen this one before: Fill a reservoir behind a new dam, and, oops, you trigger an earthquake nearby not long after the lake is topped off.
A Damned Dam
(November 17, 2009) For fifteen years, Three Gorges dam officials have been looking forward to the day they could declare the dam – the world’s most spectacular, and controversial, engineering feat – finished and operating at full capacity.
Wind power dilemma: Money blows away
(November 12, 2009) Various experts have started weighing in with suggestions for reducing overcapacity and streamlining wind energy in China, which is government subsidized. For example, State Council researchers recently called for a “systematic” approach to promoting healthy development of the industry.
Three Gorges PowerPoint presentation
(November 11, 2009) A fascinating PowerPoint presentation by Song-kai Yan from Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure Inc., providing an overview of the Three Gorges dam. The report offers a number of stunning photographs of the dam itself, and the area surrounding the project—both before and after construction.
More landslides likely as Three Gorges reservoir rises
(November 9, 2009) The Three Gorges reservoir will face an increasing number of landslides and other geological dangers if government officials persist in raising the level of water to its maximum height, says a report by Caijing magazine. The report, citing a research paper by the Chongqing Political Consultative Conference, says the higher the reservoir, the greater the risks will be for geological hazards.
China to Lend Africa $10 Billion
(November 9, 2009) China’s prime minister said his country will give $10 billion in loans to African countries without any political strings attached.
Dam’s Role in Earthquake Revisited
(November 9, 2009) A recent scientific study adds to suggestions that a dam built near an underground geological fault line helped trigger the massive earthquake in Sichuan in May 2008 that killed more than 69,000 people and left almost 18,000 missing.
Three Gorges officials admit they can’t fill reservoir, for now
(November 16, 2009) Promises from the Chinese government that Three Gorges would be the world’s largest generator of reliable power seem to be evaporating before the project can be declared finished.
More evidence the Zipingpu dam may be to blame for the Wenchuan earthquake
(November 6, 2009) A recent article by scientists in the U.S. provides further evidence that the Zipingpu dam’s reservoir may have triggered the devastating May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. The Wenchuan earthquake killed nearly 90,000 people and unleashed a chorus of speculation that the Zipingpu reservoir may have contributed to the severity of the earthquake, or helped to trigger it.
Local residents say Three Gorges dam aggravating drought
(October 30, 2009) Three Gorges dam officials are defending their plan to continue to raise the project’s reservoir level, saying a higher reservoir will help residents living downstream face a potentially more dangerous drought in the upcoming dry season. But local residents say the dam is making an already severe, and deadly, drought even worse.
China’s Export of Censorship
(October 12, 2009) The Chinese government’s effort to prevent dissident authors from taking part in the prestigious Frankfurt Book Fair, an international showcase for freedom of expression, has offered Germany a close-up view of China’s intolerance of dissent.
Political fictions
(October 29, 2009) Eric Abrahamsen reports from the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest publishing trade event, where China was this year’s guest of honour – and competing narratives of the nation were the order of the day.
Did the Zipingpu Reservoir trigger the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake?
(October 28, 2009) A new study published in the journal of Geophysical Research Letters provides more evidence that the deadly Wenchuan earthquake may have been triggered by the Zipingpu dam’s reservoir.
China’s dams are sinking its relationship with India
(October 23, 2009) The operators of the Three Gorges Dam are continuing to export their hydro-power schemes to countries around the globe. The latest destination is Pakistan.
Reservoir-Triggered Seismicity in Armenian Large Dams
(Fall 2009) Reservoir-triggered seismicity (RTS) is a phenomenon, which has been observed in several large dam projects all over the world, especially for the reservoirs which are constructed in seismically active regions. Practically all the territory of the Republic of Armenia is characterized as the high seismic active area. A review of reservoir triggered seismicity in Armenia shows that it mainly occurs in large dams which are located near active faults. In this paper it has been shown that the number of microearthquakes increase after Tolors reservoir operation, cause changes of seismic regime in the observed regions.
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
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