Probe International

(January 9, 2006) Chongqing announces plans to draw tourists to the dam area.

(January 13, 2006) The water level in the reservoir after the dam is completed in 2009 will affect local scenic sights to some extent, but is expected to add to the beauty of the Three Gorges, the official Chinese news agency says.

(January 20, 2006) The temporary cofferdam in front of the Three Gorges Dam was demolished May 1, introducing the next phase of construction.

(January 20, 2006) Demolition of the Three Gorges cofferdam on May 1 has not caused a water-level rise near the main dam, engineers said, adding, however, that some scenic spots will be submerged when the reservoir is filled to 135 metres in June 2003.

(January 20, 2006) With clouds gathering over Huaneng Power International’s decision to invest in the controversial Three Gorges project, some research analysts have come to the mainland power company’s defence.

(January 20, 2006) A team of experts has deemed the Three Gorges dam ‘safe and reliable enough to hold water,’ the official Chinese news agency reports.

(January 20, 2006) Local interests are battling over a proposal to restore seasonal flows to the floodplain of the much-dammed and ecologically imperilled Missouri River. Is there a lesson here for the builders of the Three Gorges dam?

(January 21, 2006) The dismissal of the Beijing bureau chief of the South China Morning Post has sparked claims of press-freedom restrictions in Hong Kong. While with the Post, Jasper Becker broke stories on corruption in the Three Gorges resettlement operation.

(January 21, 2006) China’s largest independent power producer, run by the son of Three Gorges dam champion Li Peng, will take a 3 per cent stake in China Three Gorges Power Co Ltd, Huaneng said on its Web site.

(January 22, 2006) Two bodies charged with evaluating the environmental impact of projects have been punished by the government, with one believed to have caused environmental problems near the site of the Three Gorges project.

(April 17, 1996) Chinese health authorities are alarmed about the potential spread of diseases among the people being forced to move to make way for the Three Gorges dam

(March 26, 1996) $12.5 million Export Development Corporation loan to Chinese government makes Canadian Taxpayers financiers of world’s “riskiest and most destructive dam project ever”

(February 9, 1996) Chinese officials admitted last week that the number of people who will have to be moved to make way for the colossal Three Gorges dam is higher than originally expected.