Provincial tug-of-war waters down China's Yellow river success story
By Jonathan Watts, The Guardian
Tuesday 28, June 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/envir= onment/2011/jun/28/water-yellow-river-china
Its digital management system is a 'wonder', but with communities battling over water use there's a long way to go before China's second-largest river is off life-support
On one wall of the control centre, a mosaic of TV screens flickers back and forth between the latest satellite photographs and rainfall projections. On another, a huge screen tracks the entire length of the Yellow river – China's second-longest waterway – with r= eal-time data from dozens of monitoring stations showing flow speed, pollution levels and reservoir volumes.
The operation closely monitors the outflow volumes from each of the nine provinces that border China's "mother river", and decides whether they are on course to meet monthly targets. A sophisticated set of river controls allows engineers to intervene by opening or closing a high-tech network of automated sluice gates and monitoring devices. This gives them remote control over almost all downstream diversions of the water for agriculture and industry along its 5,464 km length.
The system also allows engineers to flush bad pollution spills through the system more quickly, which has contributed – along wi= th economic, legal and policy changes – to the improvement in water quality and quantity on the main river.
Now Chinese hydroengineers are embarking on a plan to upgrade the "digital Yellow river" – what they claim is the world's most advanced water-rationing system – to try to save one of the most overworked waterways on the planet from drought, pollution and the unsustainable demands of a surging economy.
The plan, which begins later this year, is a major enhancement of an already advanced management system that has helped to reverse the decline of China's second-biggest river over the past 10 years.
For most of the past 30 years, the Chinese government has focused on engineered solutions to the country's water problems that increase supply. When water ran out or became polluted, they drilled deeper wells or built longer diversion channels to tap fresh resources.
But the Yellow river, which has been the main artery of Chinese civilisation for thousands of years, has shown the limitations of that approach and forced a different way of thinking that blends science, conservation, old-style communist centralised control and modern market cap-and-trade mechanisms.
The change is evident at the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) in Zhengzhou, which is the command centre for the waterway's managers.
In 1997, the Yellow river symbolised everything that was wrong with China's environment: 40% of its waters were off the scale for pollution, and the lower reaches were so choked with sediment that the river bed stood several metres above the surrounding farmland, raising the risks of floods. But the biggest problem was seemingly terminal dormancy. The river was so overexploited that it failed to reach the sea for 226 days a year.
Since then, however, the flow has been unbroken, and last year the basket-case river become an award-winning model when the YRCC won the Lee Kwan Yu Water prize in Singapore. Its head, Li Guoying, was promoted to national vice-minister for water resources. Its digital control system is now being emulated on other stressed rivers, including the Talimu in Xinjiang, the Hei in Qinghai, and the Dong in Guangdong.
The European Union, which has a team working with the commission, said the award was well deserved.
"It's an achievement. The water runs to the sea again," said Paul van Meel, team leader on the EU-China River Basin Management Programme, which is working with the commission. "This is thanks to the central control. This is a unique way to manage a river on such a large scale."
Leading conservationists, including formerly fierce critics of the Yellow river's management, have also lauded the improvement, though they emphasise that more needs to be done.
"I appreciate the change of mindset of the Yellow river commission from conquering nature to promoting the healthy life of the river. The digital centralised control is a wonder," said Ma Jun, founder of the Institute for Public and Environmental Affairs NGO. "But the river is far from being revived. By keeping a minimum flow we keep it from dying. But its once vibrant and rich ecosystem is damaged by the construction of cascade dams and the ensuing overexploitation of resources and increasingly by water pollution."
The main outstanding challenge is enforcing the fair distribution of scarce water resources among the nine provinces that share the river. Allocations can make the difference between wealth and poverty. This is evident at Liang village in Henan province. Although the cornfields here are just 10km from the Yellow river and Xiaolangdi reservoir – one of China's biggest – they are dr= ying up because the farmers have almost no water-use rights. Utterly dependent on rainfall for irrigation, the villagers are impoverished and insecure. This year, they are suffering from the worst drought in decades, which will ruin the summer crop if it continues for just one more week. But Henan has used its quota elsewhere.
"We have asked the government for help but they say there is a scarcity even of drinking water for the cities, so they cannot spare anything for our crops," said the deputy head of the village, Lu Kasheng. "We have drawn up plans to drill a 400-metre well but it will cost 700,000 yuan (£68,000), so we need financial help as we= ll as approval from the government." The villagers get drinking water for only a few hours every two days.
Proportions for the provinces have been fixed since 1987, based on the average annual run-off between 1919 and 1975 of 58bn cubic metres. That has proved woefully optimistic. Due to the damming of tributaries, the spread of cities and climate change, the volume slumped last year to 46bn cubic metres. Provinces are supposed to equally share the shortfall. Yet the upstream regions of Ningxia and Inner Mongolia take more than 1bn cubic metres of water above allocation every year.
The losers are groundwater supplies and ecosystems, particularly wetlands. Twenty-one billion cubic metres are supposed to be set aside for sediment flushing and maintenance of non-human life on the river. But this is the area of the water budget that is raided when provinces go over their limit.
This will be partly addressed later this year when engineers begin installing the second stage of the project, which will force recalcitrant upstream provinces to cede control over water-diversion sluice gates. The new system is currently being designed by the commission and Tsinghua University.
Once it is completed three years from now, the engineers in Zhengzhou say they will have remote control over 90% of the river's taps for agriculture and industry.
"We are trying to resolve the contradictions between the provinces by coordinating water use," says Pei Yong, director of the water regulation division. "This aims to ensure there is no break in the middle reaches, so water can flow to the sea and the ecology can be improved."
While this centralised control system might seem a typically communist response to the water crisis, local governments in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia are also experimenting with market-based solutions, notably the trading of water-use rights. In provinces that have already used up their quota, industries can only expand their water use by paying farmers to improve irrigation efficiency. The offsetting is similar to the cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide emissions.
There are other signs that China's mandarins are looking more closely at improving efficiency and limiting demand in some areas. In its agenda-setting "No 1 document" this year the government made water conservation a priority, capping annual water consumption at 670bn cubic metres and promising to spend 4tn yuan (£390bn) on projects to reduce waste and enhance irrigation.
But there is still a long way to go before the Yellow river is off life-support. Hydroelectric dams remain outside the central control system. Demand for water in northern China continues to grow faster than efficiency gains. As a result, environmental pressure has shifted from the Yellow river to its tributaries – which are increasingly polluted – and underground aquifers, which are diminishing at an alarming rate.
The state also remains committed to environmentally disruptive megaprojects to boost supply. Its "ultimate solution" to the drought problems in the Yellow basin is the South-North Water Diversion – the world's biggest hydroengineering project. Once completed, the planned western leg of the scheme will tap water from high on the Tibetan Plateau to replenish the Yellow close to its source. This will be technically difficult, politically controversial and hugely expensive, but if China is to continue to expand its economy, hydroengineers say there is no choice.
"The water shortages along the Yellow river are still a problem. The imbalance between supply and demand will become more and more serious unless we can divert water from outside," says Pei. "For now, we will strengthen conservation and adjust the water-use structure. But the ultimate solution is diversion. If that does not go ahead, we will face a big problem in our water supply."
The good news of the Yellow river goes only so far.
• Additional reporting by Cecily Huang.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Micro energy for rural Africans
Two articles--one on a new solar lamp program in Uganda, one on a new
battery charger that was developed with rural Africa in mind.
battery charger that was developed with rural Africa in mind.
Solar Sister wants to light up rural Africa
Rugged, intuitive to use, affordable solar lamps that women can sell
door-to-door change lives.
By Esha Chhabra, Dowser.org / July 1, 2011
One-year-old start up Solar Sister is using cosmetics company AVON's
model to distribute solar energy in Uganda, Sudan, and Rwanda. To
learn more about the �business in a bag� model that's giving rural
African women an income and a renewable light source, Dowser spoke to
Katherine Lucey, Solar Sister's founder.
What was the problem you saw and how could you fill that need in a
unique way?
Lucey: Problem: Gender-based technology gap in rural Africa. When I
was doing work for a nonprofit that was installing solar energy in
schools, clinics, and rural homes, the maintenance of the project, the
adaptation of the solar wasn�t very good because we�d return a year
later and find that 50 percent of the systems were not functioning. It
was a very high fail rate.
In rural Uganda, where 95 percent of the homes don�t have electricity,
solar technology is a distributable energy source; so, it�s a very
good solution to clean rural energy or actually, rural energy period.
It just happens to be clean as well.
Also, the technology that we were using � the solar panel, the PVC,
etc., was very "techie" and we were in homes where there was no
technology. So, the women didn�t have a comfort zone with the
technology that we were bringing into their home.
We realized that the women are responsible for the solar panel � it�s
a household utility. So, there�s a gender gap there for technology.
And that�s not specific to Uganda. It�s an issue here at home as well
when you look at the gender ratio in science and math. It leans
towards men.
That�s how I started thinking about how we can close that gap.
And the solution?
The AVON model for solar energy.
At the time that I was developing this idea, the design of the solar
lamps became micro-solar. These are designed specifically for BoP
[Base of the Pyramid] application. They�re rugged, very intuitive to
use, affordable, and readily available. And it�s not as "techie;" it�s
really just a light. So, the gap bridged. All of a sudden it�s a lot
easier for women to use. You stick it out during the day; you bring it
in at night; you flip a switch and you have light to read, cook, and
even a source to charge your phone.
It�s also 1/10th the cost of a home solar system so it�s within the
price point of these homes. They can range from $15 to $50, and when
you�re already paying $2 a week for kerosene, it�s an investment that
will pay off in a few months because you�ll no longer have to pay for
an energy source. They use those extra funds then for better food,
health care, and schooling fees.
And the price continues to drop as the technology evolves.
Did Solar Sisters pair with a micro-finance institution (MFI) to
provide women entrepreneurs the initial capital needed for this
"business in a bag" model?
No. Rather Solar Sister uses a "micro consignment" model versus micro
franchise. These women don�t have to pay the franchise cost up front
and we don�t work with MFIs.
For example, we had a lady, Viola, who signed up to be an
entrepreneur. But she had just had a baby so was not able to sell
immediately. If she had taken out a loan then she would have had to
start paying back within a week or so. That would have been difficult
in her situation and put her collateral at risk � her home.
Rather, we want them to sell and our intent is not to make money off
the interest rates. So, we extend a loan ourselves by providing them
the inventory.
In handling the finances, do you utilize mobile banking or other forms
of banking?
Yes! In Uganda, 5 percent of people in rural Uganda have electricity
but 80-85 percent have a phone. Not only do they have one phone but
four phones for different calling plans and mobile carriers to get the
cheapest rates. In fact, with solar energy, many women are able to
charge the phones of their neighbors for 25 cents and provide a
service. So, it�s another source of income.
And yes, we use mobile banking and SMSs to communicate with the
entrepreneurs and streamline funds. It makes the operation much more
efficient.
Have you had any default cases?
Yes, we�ve had women who have sampled it and decided it�s not for them
so they�ve bought the lamps themselves that are in inventory or
returned them to us and that�s alright. That�s not a problem. We
understand.
What propelled you to focus on this particular issue � energy poverty?
My background was in energy so I was sensitized to the idea that
energy is fundamental to development. My work experience was on a much
bigger scale, though � developing large plants and big-scale economic
development. But as I left that post, I knew that the same principles
apply at the home level, the grass-roots.
I was really interested in microcredit and how it was giving access to
financial services. But I saw that there was this same need on the
energy side � access to energy in a way that they could do it at the
grass-roots level. The will of government wasn�t there; waiting for
the government to solve the rural energy problem was not the answer.
We needed a solution that was closer at hand.
Solar is the most democratic � we all live under the sun. Energy is
free and the equipment is a one-time cost. Compare that with cost of
burning wood or kerosene, and [the] health issues involved. The cost
is extremely high. That�s why I went with solar.
When you come back to the States, do you wonder why can�t we do some
of these ideas on a more grass-roots level at home?
For those in Uganda, the cost of solar is much cheaper. They�re paying
20-30 percent of their income on energy already. We don�t pay that
much. And if we were to put in solar equipment, it would require us to
spend a bit more. So, we think of solar as a luxury, which makes it
harder to implement here.
You�ve been in this startup mode for a year, any hiccups along the way?
Oh yes.
We met this one lady who seemed like a great businesswoman, had a lot
of potential, and we thought she�d make a great entrepreneur. But
after the initial box of lamps she took from us, we never heard from
her again. So, we got back in touch and asked her how the experience
was. She told us that she�d sold the box and it was a wonderful
opportunity. But why didn�t she ask for more lamps? Sh responded, that
she thought it was just a one-time opportunity.
So, I found myself wondering how did we not convey this correctly that
this is an ongoing business opportunity, not a one time thing?
Sometimes, such simple details make you realize flaws that you
couldn�t have conceived because we just assumed that these ladies
would come back to us when they wanted more inventory.
With these lessons in mind, what do you say to other budding social
entrepreneurs?
Be committed and open to learning. That�s the key. Just stick with it
and be open during the process of developing your idea/organization.
You�re working with Ashoka as a changemaker. How do you see this model
as being scalable?
We�re partnering with women�s groups who have been working in the
community for 10-20 years. By doing such partnerships, we�re able to
use their foundation and their local knowledge. The biggest challenge
in scaling is actually identifying funding partners, should it be a
developing impact investor, philanthropic organization, or some other
entity. So, what we need to do is really become the experts in our
business. Women can sell a lot of items. Solar energy is one of them,
and it�s one mode to economic freedom.
� This story originally appeared on Dowser.org.
----------
The Universal Charger for Just About Any Gadget Battery
By Alexis Madrigal
Jun 29 2011, 3:03 PM ET 6
ASPEN -- If you can pry the lithium ion battery out of your device,
you can probably charge it with Fenix International's noteworthy USB
charger. And you won't need an annoying adapter, either.
The company developed the charger for use in Uganda and other
developing world countries. It's part of a whole suite of products
Fenix designed to help local people to become one-stop electricity
providers. But you can use it yourself, too. At the bottom of this
post, you can see the Fenix charging my Canon G11 camera battery.
Here's how the device works. Instead of using some proprietary cord
conversion system, the charger just has little contacts that can clip
onto almost any Li-Ion battery.
Doing away with all of the cords allows an entrepreneur in any place
where mobile devices are abundant but power is scarce to be sure that
he or she can charge most phones without carrying around a ton of
little adapters.
The charger can plug into any computer or USB wall adapter, but Fenix
designed it specifically to be plugged into the ReadySet, an all-in-
one "intelligent battery" that can take in power from a variety of
sources (bicycle generator, solar, the grid), store and smooth it,
then spit it back out to charge phones or other appliances.
Fenix CEO Mike Lin has been working on designing new products for the
developing world for years. I first ran into him in San Francisco,
when he was working for Potenco on a pull-cord power generator. Here
in Aspen, he's carrying around the ReadySet and his chargers in his
bag, where they combine to make a pretty effective demonstration of
his vision for mobile power entrepreneurship in the developing world.
What might be more fascinating about the new charger, though, is that
it's a clear example of how technology designed for the "bottom of the
pyramid" can bounce back to the developed world as a cheap and easy
solution. As more and more entrepreneurs start to focus their efforts
outside the OECD countries, I think we're due for a lot more of this
kind of cross-pollination. Keep an eye out for the Fenix, as it should
be going to retail stores in the U.S. this year.
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Kenya relies 68 percent on wood for energy - Kalua
Kenya relies 68 percent on wood for energy - Kalua
By Sandra Chao
An environmental conservation organization reveals Kenya's heavy reliance on wood-fuel and warns that the country faces disastrous effects if conservation efforts are not taken a notch higher.
The chief executive officer of Green Africa, Dr Isaac Kalua warned that climate change effects would get worse if people continued engaging in harmful environmental practices.
"We rely 9 percent on electricity, 22 percent on petrol, 1 percent on renewable energy sources and 68 percent on wood fuel as sources of energy and it has been documented that charcoal is the second most popular form of energy," he said.
Kalua revealed that the continued reliance on wood fuel as a source of energy was posing a threat to the already diminished forest cover in the country.
"Efforts of conservation need to be taken up by all stakeholders and given a multidimensional view if we are to take Kenya back to what it was a decade ago," he said.
Kalua noted that documented figures of destruction of the environment needed to be broken down and interpreted easily for people to understand environment issues better.
"We cannot keep on talking about conservation until that old lady in the village is able to understand what 68 percent reliance on wood fuel means in regards to the harm done to the environment," Kalua said.
Kalua explained that the conservation efforts of tree planting were being watered down by the continuous cutting down of trees.
He decried that the 9,500 secondary schools in the country relied heavily on charcoal and firewood for their energy needs leading to massive loss of forest cover.
"Every school uses wood fuel equivalent to 53 trees on a daily basis, which translates to a loss of 183 million trees through secondary schools alone," he said.
He reiterated that with the country's forest cover standing at 1.7 percent against the global requirement of about 10 percent, there was need to plant more than 6.4 billion trees.
Kalua remained optimistic that ethical issues on the environment would be contained with the establishment of the court on environment similar to one in South Africa.
"The minister of justice and constitutional affairs has assured us that the court will be in place by end of August," said Kalua.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
China Urged to Halt New Myanmar Dams
China Urged to Halt New Myanmar Dams
July 6, 2011
By: The Wall Street Journal
July 6, 2011
By: The Wall Street Journal
A coalition of Myanmar dissident groups called on China to halt a series
of dam projects it is building in the resource-rich Southeast Asian
nation, the latest sign of rising hostility toward Chinese investment there.
The call comes as sporadic fighting has continued between Myanmar troops
and ethnic insurgents in dense jungle areas near Myanmar's borders with
China and Thailand, including areas close to some of the dams. Although
details about the fighting with Kachin and other ethnic-group rebels are
scant-the areas are largely off-limits to outsiders-dissident groups in
communication with the groups say that as many as 10,000 people have had
to flee and that resentment over the dams is a significant contributing
factor to the conflicts. Decades-old animosities between the ethnic
groups and Myanmar's powerful military are also to blame.
Separately on Tuesday, democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was mobbed by
supporters-and trailed by plainclothes policemen-while visiting the
ancient ruins of Bagan in central Myanmar, the Associated Press
reported, but otherwise the day passed without incident. It was Ms. Suu
Kyi's first trip outside of Yangon since being released from several
years of house arrest late last year, and supporters have been watching
closely to see if authorities permit her to move about freely.
Dissidents had been stepping up their complaints about Chinese
investment amid signs it is increasing rapidly. Foreign direct
investment commitments from China in the year that ended in March
totaled $8.27 billion, or 41% of the total in Myanmar, compared with
total Chinese investment of less than $2 billion by the end of the prior
financial year, according to the Associated Press and local media
reports. Major projects include a multibillion-dollar oil-and-gas
pipeline built in part by Chinese investors across the country. It also
includes an estimated 60 hydropower projects involving at least 45
companies, according to International Rivers, a California-based
advocacy group.
Activists say the investments harm the environment and help support
Myanmar's harsh military-backed government, which is accused of a wide
range of human-rights abuses, including forced labor and rape, while
failing to boost living standards for average citizens. Western
governments, including the U.S., maintain tough economic sanctions
against Myanmar that block investment in such projects, but a growing
number of dissidents are beginning to question the sanctions, in part
because Chinese investment has undermined their effectiveness.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei said "cooperation
between China and Myanmar is on the basis of mutual equality, and is in
the interest of both countries' development and both countries' people."
The spokesman added that China pays close attention to ecological
protection and requires Chinese companies operating outside its borders
to obey local environmental and other laws.
Attempts to reach the Myanmar government weren't successful.
The dams have remained a major flashpoint, however. Much of the recent
fighting has occurred near Chinese-backed dams that are opposed by local
residents, with nine planned or under construction by Chinese companies
in Kachin areas, according to the Burma Rivers Network, an advocacy
group that represents dam-affected communities and uses the country's
former name. The group in mid-June cited the dams for "fueling further
conflict" and "not benefiting the people of Burma," while other
dissident organizations have tried, unsuccessfully, to pressure Chinese
leaders into halting the projects altogether.
The latest call was distributed by a U.S.-based advocacy group, the U.S.
Campaign for Burma, and signed by more than a half-dozen other dissident
groups, including the All Burma Monks' Alliance and the All Burma
Federation of Student Unions. In the statement released Monday and
circulated in some areas on Tuesday, they accused the Chinese government
of "completely disregarding Burmese people's life and property" and
collaborating with the Myanmar government to stop the flow of rivers in
Kachin areas with megadam projects.
The Chinese government support for such dam projects "amounts to an
indifference toward Burmese people's lives," the groups said.
________________________________________________
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international dam projects.
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World Bank provides $648 m loan for dam in India
World Bank provides $648 mn loan for THDC's power project
Published on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 20:12 | Source : PTI
www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/worldbankprovides36648mnloanforthdcspowerproject_562059.html
Published on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 20:12 | Source : PTI
www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/worldbankprovides36648mnloanforthdcspowerproject_562059.html
[THDC is the operator of the Tehri Dam in India. For information about
civil society concerns about Vishnugad Pipalkoti, please visit
http://matujan.blogspot.com/2008/07/about-vishnugad-pipalkoti-hydroelectric.html.]
The World Bank will extend a loan of USD 648 million (about Rs 2,888
crore) to state-run THDC India for constructing the Vishnugad Pipalkoti
Hydroelectric Plant on the Alaknanda river.
This hydro power plant on the Alaknanda river is expected to generate
1,665 million units of electricity annually. "The project will help meet
the sharp daily spurts in demand from households and industries at peak
electricity consumption time. This will represent a valuable addition of
peaking power to India's Northern Grid, which faces severe power
shortages at high-consumption times," the World Bank said in a statement.
The 444 MW Vishnugad Pipalkoti Project would also help reduce India's
greenhouse gas emissions by 1.6 million tonnes each year, compared to a
thermal plant of the same capacity, the multilateral lender noted.
The project will build a 65-meter diversion dam near Helang village in
Chamoli district of Uttarakhand to create a small reservoir in the
Alaknanda River. "Hydropower is one of cleanest means of electricity
generation and the Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project is a
priority project that will help relieve power shortages in India," Joint
Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Venu Rajamony said.
The negotiations for the loan, held between THDC and World Bank,
concluded on June 9, 2011. With this, the project has achieved full
financial closure. "The project (Vishnugad) will also provide
Uttarakhand with a royalty of 12% of the power generated, which is
estimated to be around Rs 90 crore (USD 20 million) each year at
expected tariffs," the statement noted. THDC India is into hydro power
generation.
________________________________________________
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You received this message as a subscriber on the list: ifi@list.internationalrivers.org
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World Bank provides $648 mn loan for Vishnugad Pipalkoti
World Bank provides $648 mn loan for THDC's power project
Published on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 20:12 | Source : PTI
www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/worldbankprovides36648mnloanforthdcspowerproject_562059.html
Published on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 20:12 | Source : PTI
www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/worldbankprovides36648mnloanforthdcspowerproject_562059.html
The World Bank will extend a loan of USD 648 million (about Rs 2,888
crore) to state-run THDC India for constructing the Vishnugad Pipalkoti
Hydroelectric Plant on the Alaknanda river.
This hydro power plant on the Alaknanda river is expected to generate
1,665 million units of electricity annually. "The project will help meet
the sharp daily spurts in demand from households and industries at peak
electricity consumption time. This will represent a valuable addition of
peaking power to India's Northern Grid, which faces severe power
shortages at high-consumption times," the World Bank said in a statement.
The 444 MW Vishnugad Pipalkoti Project would also help reduce India's
greenhouse gas emissions by 1.6 million tonnes each year, compared to a
thermal plant of the same capacity, the multilateral lender noted.
The project will build a 65-meter diversion dam near Helang village in
Chamoli district of Uttarakhand to create a small reservoir in the
Alaknanda River. "Hydropower is one of cleanest means of electricity
generation and the Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project is a
priority project that will help relieve power shortages in India," Joint
Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Venu Rajamony said.
The negotiations for the loan, held between THDC and World Bank,
concluded on June 9, 2011. With this, the project has achieved full
financial closure. "The project (Vishnugad) will also provide
Uttarakhand with a royalty of 12% of the power generated, which is
estimated to be around Rs 90 crore (USD 20 million) each year at
expected tariffs," the statement noted. THDC India is into hydro power
generation.
[For information about civil society concerns, please visit
http://matujan.blogspot.com/2008/07/about-vishnugad-pipalkoti-hydroelectric.html.]
________________________________________________
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Three Gorges Dam has expensive problems
Dam has expensive problems
Global Times | June 29, 2011 23:56
By Wen Ya
www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/663891/Dam-has-expensive-problems.aspx
Global Times | June 29, 2011 23:56
By Wen Ya
www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/663891/Dam-has-expensive-problems.aspx
Silt stopped and stored by the Three Gorges Dam is creating riverbank
collapses in the lower reaches of the Yangtze, a hydraulic expert told
the Global Times Wednesday.
The cause of these collapses is clearer water hitting the middle and
lower reaches of the river, said Liu Shukun, a professor in the
department of hydraulics at the China Institute of Water Resources and
Hydropower Research in Beijing.
"The water generates stronger scouring force against the river banks,
making them more vulnerable to collapse," he said.
Silt content at three points along the Jingjiang section of the Yangtze
– 30 kilometers downstream of the dam – has fallen 70 to 80 percent
since the dam started storing water, according to statistics from the
Yangtze Water Resources Commission of the Yangtze Institute of Survey
Planning Design and Research in Wuhan, Hubei Province, the 21st Century
Business Herald reported.
The 430-killometer-Jingjiang River is what the Yangtze is called from
Zhicheng, Hubei Province, to Chenglingji in Hunan Province.
Large riverbank collapses in Nanwuzhou, a 25-kilometer-dam on the
Jingjiang River, hit twice last year, leaving a 600-meter collapsed
section, the Guangzhou-based newspaper reported.
In the four years after 2003, when the dam started storing water, 124
collapses occurred along the Jingjiang River, the report said.
Statistics from 2002 to 2006 suggest annual bank and riverbed erosion 10
times higher along the Jingjiang River since the Three Gorges Dam began
storing water, according to an expert at the institute, the newspaper
reported.
The constant collapses have hurt attempts at bank protection, Cai Qihua,
director of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of
Water Resources, told the People's Daily on June 11.
"The erosion is much more serious than we had predicted," she said.
The Yangtze riverbed and its water level had also fallen in recent
years, according to Liu.
During the five years after the dams stored water, riverbeds of some
sections of the Jingjiang River are about one meter lower than before,
the Guangzhou-based newspaper said.
The Yangtze water level will fall 5 to 10 meters more in drought
seasons, a hydraulic expert was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
Poyang and Dongting lakes near the Yangtze have almost no water.
"With a lowering Yangtze riverbed, droughts will occur at the two lakes
frequently in the future," Liu said.
"Hunan and Jiangxi provinces are planning to build locks on the lakes
that will have a negative impact on the irrigation and ecology of the
lower reaches."
The government has invested more than 100 billion yuan ($15.5 billion)
to study the problems in the lower Yangtze reaches, Liu said.
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