Unquiet flows the Yangtze
*The Yangtze, the 4th-largest river in the world, carries a substantial volume of silt. As the dam stores the flood waters, silt would accumulate and raise the riverbed, affecting navigation, power generation and, ultimately, the life of the dam. The raised water level will increase flooding of downstream areas like Chongquin and also in the Sichuan province.
*The plan for a 175m-high water level for normal storage conditions involves relocating 1.13 million people by AD 2008. If sedimentation is considered, this would mean relocating another 0.3 million people after 20 years. Fifty years on, the number resettled would be 1.4-1.6 million. The area around the reservoir would face serious food shortages due to over population.
*The document lists many technical issues relating to navigation and cautions that adverse environmental effects would outweigh benefits. It discusses the effect of earthquakes and the havoc wreaked by a dam burst.
*It argues: "Rather than an exclusive emphasis on the Three Gorges, an overall plan and a proper order should be established for the development of the whole river basin based on concrete conditions".