Dams, as a civilization we've been building them for years.  The power to manipulate waterflow just to exploit it.  It's many uses range from irrigation to our very own form of electrical energy.  In China they are constructing what is said to be the worlds largest dam.  The dam itself is set to be finished in 2009.  Upon completion, the dam will measure at about 600 feet high and will span at about a distance of 1.5 miles.  Since it's a dam, it will create a resivoir of about 400 miles long along the Yangtze river.  However, there is much controversy surrounding the dam's construction. 

Like stated earlier, dams have many uses, the three gorges dam is no exception.  With the dam, China plans to manipulate the river creating a reservoir that will only serve to allow large ships into 1,500 miles into the interior of China.  This will allow easier access and faster transit times.  On top of that, the dam itself is estimated to satisfy 1/9th of China's total energy demand providing 18 million kilowatts (that's about 18,000 homes) with renewable hydroelectric energy.  This is enough to provide power for the cities of Chongquing, Shanghai, and everything inbetween.  WIth all this hydroelectricity available, China will then also be at a position to cut down on it's use of coal, which currently provides China with about 71% of it's electricity. 

Even though there's so much good things about this dam, we can't forget that every dam has it's impact.  Since the dam itself will create a 400 mile long reservoir it will most likely flood the area around it.  This includes 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1350 villages.  That's a lot of people.  While 1.3 million people are forced to relocate, China currently has no plans of even removing any of those developed areas which will be flooded over.  If this happens, then all the cities pollution, building material, waste, and other harmful things that don't belong in the water, will end up in the water.  This also includes materials from flooded mines, factories, and waste dumps.  With that said the flood area is said to carry around 6000 different species of plants and animals.  This entire project can drastically change entire ecosytems. 

So upon it's completion in 2009, we won't really know how drastically the project will change life in China, or even the world at that matter.  China argues that it is a very environmentally safe solution, meanwhile scientists in China and the rest of the world argue that it's an environmental disaster in the making while also violating human rights.  On the other hand, it boasts to be one of the largest engineering feats of our century and increase accesablity to China.  The effects of this dam are great and wide but there's no telling what will take place once the dam is completed.