Three Gorges Project and Ecological Environment

Three Gorges Project and Ecological Environment – Climate

The Three Gorges Reservoir is effective for adjusting the climate around the reservoir areas. The effective area is less than 400 meters in the perpendicular direction, and about 1 to 2 kilometers in the horizontal direction on the both banks. The annual average temperature increased 0.1 ℃– 0.2 ℃, the average temperature in winter and spring increased 0.3 ℃– 1.3 ℃, and the temperature in summer decreased 0.9℃ – 1.2 ℃. The fog days increased two days. The temperature in winter increased is beneficial for the growth of oranges, aleurites fordii and some other commercial crop. The temperature decreased in summer can improve the climate in Wanxian County and other districts.

Three Gorges Project and Ecological Environment – Water Temperature and Quality

After the Three Gorges Reservoir begins to storage water, the flow rate become slower, and the stop time increased, which is helpful for purifying the organic pollutant, improving the water quality of the downstream. But the capacity of diluting and spreading decreased, which will make the water pollution on the banks become more serious. After the Three Gorges Project completed, it has certain function for intercepting nitrogen and phosphorus and some other nutrient substances.

Three Gorges Project and Ecological Environment - Terrestrial Animal and Plant Resources

The precious plants almost are distributed over 300 meters high. So, the Three Gorges Project has a little effective on them. And the number of water fowl increased.

Three Gorges Project and Ecological Environment - Aquatic Organism

After the Three Gorges Project, the amount of plankton and benthic fauna in the reservoir area increased, and the species structure changed. The increase of cultivation area in the reservoir area will make the fish production increase.

Three Gorges Project – Human Being

According to the research in recent years, there didn't find oncomelania, and the schistosomiasis also didn't spread in this area. The construction of Three Gorges Dam is effective to relieve the floods in the middle and downstream of the Yangtze River, which is not conducive to the spreading of oncomelania and schistosomiasis, and helpful for alleviating the oncomelania and schistosomiasis in the areas along the river.