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Warm-Up Activity

Warm-Up Activity. On a piece of paper, describe what a “dam” is, how it works, and name any types or famous ones you have heard of before. The Three Gorges Dam. Three Gorges Dam. Built on Yangzi River - at 3,937 miles, 3 rd longest river in the world Width: 1.3 miles

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Warm-Up Activity

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  1. Warm-Up Activity • On a piece of paper, describe what a “dam” is, how it works, and name any types or famous ones you have heard of before.

  2. The Three Gorges Dam

  3. Three Gorges Dam • Built on Yangzi River - at 3,937 miles, 3rd longest river in the world • Width: 1.3 miles • Height: 610 Feet (50 story building) • Location: 1,500 miles from ocean • Create reservoir hundreds of feet deep and nearly 400 miles long, hold more than a trillion gallons of water • Create as much electricity as 18 nuclear power plants – inexpensive electricity

  4. Question? • How would you feel if the government asked you to move because Atlanta and surrounding suburbs would soon be flooded. Would you see this situation as a tragedy or an opportunity? Why?

  5. Background Information • 1919 – Sun Yat-sen(father of modern China) is credited with first proposing the idea of a hydroelectric dam at Three Gorges • 1992 – National People’s Congress of China approved the construction of the world’s largest and most controversial hydroelectric facility at Three Gorges

  6. Construction • 16 years to complete • 40,000 workers • Reservoir (artificial lake from a dam, used to store water) began filling in 2003 • 2006 – Construction finished • 2009 – Full power generation

  7. Three Gorges Dam • http://www.pbs.org/pov/uptheyangtze/video_classroom1.php • http://www.pbs.org/pov/uptheyangtze/video_classroom2.php

  8. Positive Effects of Three Gorges Dam • Inexpensive electricity – 10% of China’s electrical power • Dams are much cleaner producers of electricity than coal • Help control floods – 1998 (2,000 deaths, 14 million homeless) • Increase tourism • Enhance transportation of people and goods • Reservoir will allow 10,000 ton freighters to enter the nation’s interior, which currently limits access to boats under 1,500 tons • Shanghai up to Chongqing

  9. Negative Effects • Does cost outweigh benefits? • 1 million people displaced (resettlement issues) • Entire villages and major cities will be relocated • Ancient settlements and historic shrines buried • Rich farmland destroyed • Pollution (garbage), algae and landslides

  10. Activity • You are to write a letter to the Chinese government assuming one of the following roles: • 1. Chinese farmer who will have to be resettled after the project is complete • 2. Business owner in Chongqing who engages in international trade • 3. Member of an enviornmental group protesting the construction • 4. Business owner in Fengdu who will have to relocate the family business • Local communist party leader

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