Has the Three Gorges Dam created Chinese drought zone?

Farmers and fishermen say the Three Gorges Dam has affected water levels in Dongting Lake in recent years. Retrieved from: www.cnn.com

“Hong is one of millions in China affected by the worst drought to hit China since 1961. As of the end of May, Dongting Lake had already shrunk to less than 45 percent of its usual surface area, according to state-run media. Local conservationists estimate more than one thousand hectares of wetlands located on the east side of Dongting Lake have dried up entirely.

Situated downstream from the dam, Dongting Lake is the second largest fresh water lake in China. But record low rainfall this year has caused sharp drops in water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, causing the drought to spread throughout Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. The region has suffered from 40 to 60 percent less rainfall than usual. Millions lack adequate drinking water.

However, for Hong, the dry spell is not the only culprit to blame for her fish-less lake. Along with other farmers and environmentalists, she points to the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydro-power project as a resource nightmare that has exacerbated the drought.

“The Three Gorges Dam has definitely influenced things here,” she told CNN. “The impact is clear.”

Farmer He Shishun agrees. Usually the 49-year-old slowly works his modest plot of land with his aging water buffalo to reap two rice harvests per year along with a variety of fruits and vegetables. This year, due to the water shortage, he will ration his resources and plant just enough for one rice harvest. Unable to grow fresh produce at home, He has been forced to purchase fresh produce for his family at a local market, for high prices that stretch his meager income.”

Read more: CNN