China's Three Gorges Dam: A Model of the Past

Date: 
Monday, February 27, 2012

Updated fact sheet

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is the world's largest and most controversial hydropower project. The 660 kilometer-long reservoir displaced 1.3 million people and is wreaking havoc on the environment. The reservoir was scheduled to reach its final height in 2010, but many of its impacts are only now becoming apparent. China will deal with the project's legacy for generations to come.

As the project has been completed, International Rivers has published an updated factsheet which summarizes its legacy and recommendations for the future. We have also produced a slideshow, Three Gorges Dam: Through the Lens of the Artist, which illustrates the impacts of the Three Gorges Dam through music, photography and painting.