Asia-Pacific | Delays block China's giant water scheme. Villagers have used a number of methods to encourage the rains A multi-billion-dollar project to divert water from southern China to the arid north is already four years behind schedule. The news comes as parts of northern and central China struggle to cope with severe drought. Officials recently admitted that water would not flow along the project's central route - a total of three are planned - until 2014. But there appears to be a difference of opinion about what is actually causing the delay. One official said it was because of environmental concerns, another said it was taking longer than expected to resettle affected farmers.
Whatever the reason, the entire scheme is unlikely to solve northern China's dire water shortage, even when it is finished. To solve that problem, experts say the region must conserve what little water it has. Environmental problems China first started considering building the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in the 1950s. The need is obvious. Emergency. South–North Water Transfer Project. The idea for the project originated from Mao Zedong who said in 1952, "Southern water is plentiful, northern water scarce. If at all possible, borrowing some water would be good. "[5][6] The complete project is expected to cost $62 billion – more than twice as much as the Three Gorges Dam.[7] By 2014, more than $79 billion have been spent, making it one of the most expensive engineering project in the world.[8] Eastern route[edit] The Eastern Route Project (ERP) is said to be the most advanced in construction.
It consists of an upgrade of the Grand Canal, and will be used to divert to Northern China a fraction of the total flow of the Yangtze River. Water from the Yangtze River will be drawn into the canal in Jiangdu, where a giant 400 m³/s (12.6 billion m3/year if operated continuously) pumping station was built in the 1980s. The completed line will be slightly over 716 miles (1,152 km) long, equipped with 23 pumping stations with a power capacity of 454 megawatts.[7] Central route[edit] All posts by: milton osborne. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is due hand down a decision on 11 November in the latest case involving Preah Vihear, the 11th century Hindu temple that has been at the heart of disputes, on occasion spilling over into armed conflict, between Thailand and Cambodia for over fifty years. In 1962 the ICJ awarded Cambodia sovereignty over the temple but did not rule on the question of the territory immediately surrounding it.
The practical importance of this omission lies in the fact that the temple is readily accessible from Thailand but only reached with some difficulty from Cambodia, since Preah Vihear is located on the top of an escarpment overlooking the northern Cambodian plain. The Preah Vihear issue is one I have previously discussed in The Interpreter and in more detail in an article for Open Democracy. Simplified greatly, the Cambodian Government claims that the 1962 ICJ ruling means it has sovereignty over the temple and 4.6 sq km of territory surrounding it. Read More. A new geopolitics of mekong dams? On April 19, the four country members of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) met to consult on Thai company Ch Karnchang's proposal to build a 1,260MW dam in Xayaburi province on the mainstream of the Mekong River in Laos.
The dam would be financed by Thai banks and sell most of its power to consumers in Thailand. At the meeting, members of the MRC Joint Committee, made up of senior officials from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, agreed to disagree and to elevate the decision to the Ministerial Council level. Messy and inconclusive though the interim outcome on the Xayaburi dam may seem, it nevertheless carries considerable significance for the way in which river policy decisions are conducted in the Mekong. To date, two main constraints have limited rational, balanced and open decision making around dams with potential transboundary impacts in the Mekong River basin. Banyan: Dammed if they do. China halts £20bn dam project. Jinghong Dam. The Jinghong Dam (Chinese: 景洪大坝)is a gravity dam composed of roller-compacted concrete on the Lancang (Mekong) River near Jinghong in Yunnan Province, China. The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it has an associated 1,750 MW power station.[1] Part of the power generated will be sold to Thailand under an agreement with China.[2] See also[edit] List of power stations in China References[edit]
List of major power stations in Yunnan. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article lists the major power stations located in Yunnan province. Non-renewable[edit] Coal based[edit] Renewable[edit] Hydroelectric[edit] Conventional[edit] References[edit] Merowe Dam, Nile River, Republic of the Sudan. The Merowe Dam is located near the 4th cataract of the Nile River, in the Nubian Desert of the Republic of the Sudan (also known as Sudan). The dam was built to generate hydroelectric power—electricity intended to further industrial and agricultural development of the country. This astronaut photograph illustrates the current extent of the reservoir, which has been filling behind the dam since the final spill gate was closed in 2008.
The Merowe Dam is located approximately 350 kilometer (215 miles) to the northwest of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. The nearest settlement downstream of the dam is Karima. Following Sudan’s independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom in 1956, allocation and control of Nile River water was divided between Egypt and Sudan by the Nile Waters Treaty signed in 1959.
Instrument(s): ISS - Digital Camera. Merowe Dam, Sudan. The Merowe Dam in Northern Sudan is one of the world’s most destructive hydropower projects. Built on the Nile’s fourth cataract between 2003 and 2009, the dam created a reservoir with a length of 174 kilometers. With a capacity of 1,250 megawatts, the project doubled Sudan’s electricity generation. It also displaced more than 50,000 people from the fertile Nile Valley to arid desert locations. Thousands of people who refused to leave their homes were flushed out by the rising waters of the reservoir. No proper environmental impact assessment for the Merowe Dam was ever carried out. Project construction was started without approval by Sudan’s environmental ministry, which violates the country’s laws. The people affected by the Merowe Dam strenuously resisted their displacement from the Nile valley, and proposed to be resettled along the banks of the new reservoir.
Merowe Dam. The Merowe Dam, also known as Merowe High Dam, Merowe Multi-Purpose Hydro Project or Hamdab Dam, is a large dam near Merowe Town in northern Sudan, about 350 km (220 mi) north of the capital Khartoum. Its dimensions make it the largest contemporary hydropower project in Africa. It is situated on the river Nile, close to the 4th Cataract where the river divides into multiple smaller branches with large islands in between. Merowe is a city about 40 km (25 mi) downstream from the construction site at Hamdab.
The main purpose for building the dam was the generation of electricity.[2] Technical details[edit] The dam has a length of about 9 km (5.6 mi) and a crest height of up to 67 m (220 ft). The powerhouse is equipped with ten 125 MW Francis turbines, each one designed for a nominal discharge rate of 300 cubic metres per second, and each one driving a 150 MVA, 15 kV synchronous generator. Planning and construction[edit] Astronaut photograph of Merowe Dam. The main contractors are: Nomads[edit] Hydroelectric power and water. Basic information about hydroelectricity, USGS Water Science for Schools. Hydroelectric power must be one of the oldest methods of producing power.
No doubt, Jack the Caveman stuck some sturdy leaves on a pole and put it in a moving stream. The water would spin the pole that crushed grain to make their delicious, low-fat prehistoric bran muffins. People have used moving water to help them in their work throughout history, and modern people make great use of moving water to produce electricity. Hydroelectric power for the Nation Although most energy in the United States is produced by fossil-fuel and nuclear power plants, hydroelectricity is still important to the Nation, as about 7 percent of total power is produced by hydroelectric plants.
Nowadays, huge power generators are placed inside dams. World distribution of hydropower Hydropower is the most important and widely-used renewable source of energy. Producing electricity using hydroelectric power has some advantages over other power-producing methods. Advantages to hydroelectric power: Yangtze_map.gif (GIF Image, 465×340 pixels) Water Security | Exploring food, floods, famine, dams, droughts and more… India and China starts a Dams Race on the Brahmaputra River. Worried that China might build a very big dam on the Brahmaputra River near its borders, India has recently approved two big dams of their own, "in principle", on the same river downstream in its state of Arunachal Pradesh.
What is interesting, and disturbing at the same time, is that India is building these dams to pre-empt China by establishing a prior use claim. A key member of India's Planning Council, Dr. Kirit Parikh, is reportedly pushing for this idea as "a broad strategic vision". I disagree with Dr. Parikh because China is not known for respecting riparian rights on international rivers. What follows is an editorial I wrote in 2004 in response to the news that India expressed concerns about Chinese plans then: Let the Brahmaputra FlowTashi TseringTrin-Gyi-Pho-Nya: Tibet's Environment and Development Digest. India finally expressed concern over Chinaís plans to divert the Brahmaputra River. If undertaken, the project is bound to raise some serious transboundary issues. Impact of China’s rise on Asian security | Stagecraft and Statecraft.
The ascent of China, while a symbol of the ongoing global power shifts, has been accentuated by major geopolitical developments — from the unravelling of the Soviet Union that eliminated a mighty empire to China’s north and west, to the manner the American colossus has stumbled after the triumphalism of the 1990s. The free world’s mounting problems, including Europe’s worries about its future, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the West’s troubled relationships with Moscow and Tehran, Japan’s uncertain demographic future and India’s internal challenges, have all helped Beijing to increase its strategic space, not just in Asia, but also in Africa and Latin America.
While Asia’s growing importance in international relations signals a systemic shift in the global distribution of power, it is the rising heft of a single country — China — that by itself is transforming the international geopolitical landscape like no other development. Beijing's Threat To India's Water Security. There is growing concern in India over the country's water security given China's geographic chokehold on almost every important river system in South Asia.
Now, as a massive project to divert as much as a third of the Brahmaputra's water into China looks more and more like becoming a reality, concern is turning to alarm. Although India has entered into water sharing treaties with all of its neighbors with whom it shares important trans-boundary river systems, it doesn't have one with China, which is an upper riparian on the Indus, Brahmaputra, Mahakali, Gandaki, and Kosi Rivers, all of which originate in Tibet.
Public statements indicate that China believes in a policy of absolute sovereignty over these rivers. Population pressures and increased economic activity mean demand for water is growing inexorably while the supply is finite. India's options are limited. Regulation and control of water flows from Tibet to India, however, favor China's strategy.
India set to loose 90,000sq meters to China, Asian water security threatened. Asia's Water Security Crisis: China, India, and the United States. Elizabeth C. Economy PDF free through August 31, 2013 This chapter evaluates the water resource challenges confronting the developing countries of Asia and their implications for broader regional and global security concerns. Main Argument Water security throughout the developing countries of Asia is poor and under growing threat. This insecurity poses risks for public health, political stability, and continued economic growth both within Asia and abroad. Within many Asian states, conflicts are flaring over competing demands for water and growing public health challenges. Policy Implications The U.S. can assist Asia in addressing serious water security issues.
Of particular use would be for the U.S. to extend integrated policy and technology assistance on water resource management to Asia’s water resource, environment, and public health agencies. Asian water security…Tibetan Plateau Series #7 wrap up « Fresh[water] Ideas For a Thirsty Planet… “We must recognize that the past may not be an adequate basis from which to draw conclusions about the potential for future conflicts arising from water security issues” …Asia Society, Securing the Region’s Water Future report Water security in Asia…Unlike the other major reservoirs of freshwater on this planet – Greenland and Antarctica – Asia’s Tibetan plateau is a critical “water bank” to millions of people downhill from the vast plateau. China is the upstream water holder and countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar [Burma], Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam are all at the mercy of the owner of the “Water Bank”. Water needs such as irrigation, hydropower, personal consumption by people, and ecosystem sustainability are all obvious and basic needs.
Is water a right for all people as the UN has stated or is it a commodity to be traded, charged for, or controlled by a corporate entity or a government? …The U.S. [Thanks to flyinureye for the graphic!] Like this: Like Loading... China re-affirms commitment to Mekong/Lancang cooperation and sharing information. Mekong River Commission. Mekong River Commission. The Water Page - Yangtze River. Water Politics » The Thirsty Dragon: Triggering A Revival In Downstream Hydropower Ambitions On The Mekong. China to Offer Hydrological Data to Mekong River Commission. Cambodia: China not behind Mekong floods. Lancang (Mekong) River. Mekong River Basin Hydropower. Thailand will ask MRC to talk to China to release more water from Mekong dams - The Mekong River - Mouth to Source.
Mekong River Commission hopes to further strengthen cooperation with China - The Mekong River - Mouth to Source. Mounting tensions over the Mekong river | Probe International. The Tibetan Plateau. Yarlung Tsangpo, Rivers: Meltdown in Tibet. Tibet_Karte_Topograpisch.png (PNG Image, 1500×1012 pixels) - Scaled (63. Brahmaputra River. Plateau Maps: Meltdown in Tibet. China building a dam on Yarlung Tsangpo (aka Brahmaputra) | Kashgar Times. Damming Tibet's Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra and other South Asian rivers. India poorly informed about Chinese dam project. Chinese official denies move to build Brahmaputra water project. Three+Rivers+HPP+17+02+10.jpg. River Map of India, India River Map, India rivers.
Chinese engineers propose world's biggest hydro-electric project in Tibet | Environment. Dams on Tibetan areas of Brahmaputra and Mekong. Sign water-sharing pact with China, Gogoi urges PM. UN Convention (Wikipedia) Irl_47.pdf (application/pdf Object) Un Convention on non-navigational uses of international watercourses. Clnuiw_e.pdf (application/pdf Object) Who Owns Transnational Water? | Spotlight | The Stimson Center | Pragmatic Steps for Global Security. 2010040613015945.pdf (application/pdf Object) International Rivers. Dam Nation - By Peter Bosshard. China International - An FP Photo Essay. China's Big Dam Problem. China's Water Grab - By John Lee. China's dam-building will cause more problems than it solves | Peter Bosshard | Environment. China: Utilization of Transnational Rivers Will Not Hurt Downstream Countries.
China defends its dam projects on rivers from Tibet. Mr1nov10.pdf (application/pdf Object) Water Politics » The Thirsty Dragon: Fossil Fuel Wealth, Water, and Poverty in Xinjiang. Water Politics » The Thirsty Dragon: Water Wars – China’s New ‘Political Weapon’? Water Politics » Thirsty Dragon: New Dams in Southwest China Produces Power and Public Ire. Three Gorges Dam. Yangtze River. China: cracks in the Three Gorges Dam, so 300,000 people can wave goodbye to their homes. China's Three Gorges dam close to limit as heavy rains persist | Environment.
Damming The Three Gorges - Chapter Six - Downstream Environmental Impacts. China's Three Gorges Dam: An Environmental Catastrophe? Three Gorges Dam. China's Three Gorges Dam Under Fire. JinyouLu.pdf (application/pdf Object) CNN In-Depth Specials - Visions of China - Asian Superpower: China's Three Gorges Dam.
China - Three Gorges Dam - Impact. China's Three Gorges dam faces flood test.