Contents
1 An Overview of Project and Its Environmental Issues 1
1.1 Features of the Three Gorges Project (TGP) 1
1.1.1 The Dam Project 3
1.1.2 The Resettlement Project 4
1.1.3 The Power Transmission Project 5
1.1.4 The Reservoir Characteristics 5
1.1.5 Main Benefits of the TGP 6
1.1.6 TGP Construction 7
1.2 Pre-Dam Environment 8
1.2.1 0verview of the Environment of the River Basin 8
1.2.2 Environment of the Reservoir Area 10
1.2.3 Main Environmental Problems of the Yangtze River Basin and the Reservoir Area 12
2 TGP Environmental Impact Evalution 15
2.1 Related Studies 15
2.1.1 Research and Scrutinization 15
2.1.2 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 16
2.1.3 Scope�� Hierarchical System�� and Methodology of EIA 17
2.2 Major TGP Impact on Environment and Comments 19
2.2.1 Hydrology�� Water Quality�� and Underground Water 19
2.2.2 Fish and Aquatic Life 25
2.2.3 Terrestrial Animals and Plants 30
2.2.5 Agricultural Ecology and Environment 38
2.2.6 Impact on the Ecology and Environment of the Estuary Area 38
2.2.7 Public Health 40
2.2.8 Social Environment 41
2.2.9 Construction Sites 42
2.2.10 Reservoir Sedimentation and Scouring of Riverbed Downstream 43
2.2.11 Environmental Geology 47
2.3 Major Countermeasures Adopted Since the Start of TGP 49
3 Eco-Environmental Protection and Monitoring of the Famous Dams in the World 51
3.1 Environmental Protection and Monitoring of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt 51
3.1.1 Aswan High Dam 51
3.1.2 Impact of the Project 54
3.1.3 Protection and Monitoring 54
3.1.4 Causes for Arousing International Concern 59
3.2 Environmental Protection and Monitoring of the Itaipu Dam in Brazil 60
3.2.1 Itaipu Dam in Brazil 60
3.2.2 Environmental Impact of the Dam 60
3.2.3 Monitoring 61
3.2.4 Environment Protection and Improvement Measures 64
3.3 Environmental Protection and Monitoring of the Glen Canyon Dam in USA 67
3.3.1 Glen Canyon Dam of USA 67
3.3.2 Project Impact 69
3.3.3 Monitoring 77
3.4 Environmental Protection and Monitoring of the Ertan Project of China 85
3.4.1 Project Impact 86
3.4.2 Monitoring 87
3.4.3 Environmental Protection 87
4 Structure of the TGP Eco-Environmental Monitoring System 89
4.1 Eco-environmental Monitoring in the Pre-dam Period 89
4.1.1 Hydrology and Water Quality 89
4.1.2 Pollution Sources Monitoring 91
4.1.3 Climate 91
4.1.4 Fishery Resource and Environment 91
4.1.5 Water Loss and Soil Erosion 92
4.1.6 Public Health 92
4.1.7 Monitoring of Other Targets Associated with Eco-environment 92
4.1.8 Environmental Monitoring and Research 92
4.2 Establishment and Improvement of the TGP Eco-environmental Monitoring System 93
4.2.1 TGP Monitoring System 93
4.2.2 Establishment of the Monitoring System 94
4.2.3 Adjustment of the Monitoring System 95
4.3 General Structure 98
4.3.1 Master Design of the System 98
4.3.2 Monitoring Scope 98
4.3.3 Monitoring Indicator System 102
4.4 Characteristics of the Monitoring System 104
4.4.1 Project-Oriented 104
4.4.2 Wide Coverage 104
4.4.3 Multiple Monitoring Factors 104
4.4.4 Systematic and Long Term in Nature 109
4.4.5 Involving Multiple Areas�� Sectors�� Disciplines and Levels 109
4.4.6 Integration of Monitoring and Experiments/Demonstration 109
4.4.7 Information Management 110
5 Sub-systems of TGP Eco-Environment Monitoring System 111
5.1 Hydrology and Water Quality Sub-system 111
5.1.1 Main Synchro-Monitoring Station of Hydrology and Water Quality of the Mainstem 113
5.1.2 Main Monitoring Station of Typical City River Section and Pollution Belt 117
5.1.3 Main Groundwater Monitoring Station (Xiaogang) 119
5.2 Pollution Sources Sub-system 121
5.2.1 Main Monitoring Station of Industrial and Domestic Pollution Sources 121
5.2.2 Main Monitoring Station of Floating Pollution Sources of Vessels 123
5.2.3 Main Monitoring Station of Non-point Pollution of Pesticide and Fertilizer 127
5.3 Fish and Aquatic Life Sub-system 128
5.3.1 Fish Resources and Environment Monitoring Leading Stations 130
5.3.2 Main Monitoring Station of Fish and Rare Aquatic Animals 133
5.4 Terrestrial Animal and Plant Sub-system 135
5.4.1 Monitoring Targets and Requirements 138
5.4.2 Monitoring Units (1996-2003) 138
5.5 Local Climate Sub-system 139
5.5.1 Regular Monitoring 139
5.5.2 Vertical Climate Monitoring 139
5.5.3 Monitoring Organizations (1996-2003) 141
5.6 Agro-Ecology and Environment Sub-system 145
5.6.1 Monitoring Targets and Requirements 145
5.6.2 Monitoring Organizations (1996-2003) 147
5.7 Estuary Ecology and Environment Sub-system 147
5.7.1 Monitoring Targets and Requirements 148
5.7.2 Monitoring Organizations 150
5.8 People's Health Sub-system 152
5.8.1 Monitoring Targets and Requirements 152
5.8.2 Monitoring Unit (1996-2003) 153
5.9 Sub-system of Socioeconom