Irrigation and Electricity
Both the Three Gorges Dam and the Gezhou Dam are on the Yangtze River. The Gezhou Dam was completed in the 1980s and is located near Yichang, about 25 miles (40 km) downstream of the Three Gorges Dam site. These and other dams and canals supply the
NOTABLE QUOTE
Agriculture is the basic occupation of the wor ld. So the imperial government must cut canals and ditches, guide the rivers, and build reservoirs in order to prevent flood and drought.
Industry Along the Yangtze
The Yangtze basin contains deposits of mineral resources, including coal, iron, and copper. Natural gas and oil are found in Sichuan province. Shanghai and Nanjing produce textiles, ships, iron and steel, and fertilizers. Industrialized areas around Chongqing and Chengdu produce cement, fertilizers, and iron and steel products.
Shibaozhai (“Stone Treasure Fortress”) is an ancient pagoda built against a cliff overlooking the Yangtze River. A wall was put in place to protect the pagoda when water levels rose following construction of the Three Gorges Dam. region with irrigation water and electricity. The Three Gorges Dam generates more electricity than any other hydroelectric dam in the world. About 50 million tons (45 million meteric tons) of coal would need to be burned to produce the same amount of electricity annually. The dam also helps control flooding.
However, the Three Gorges Dam has created a new reservoir that has flooded many towns and cities along the Yangtze River. As a result, about 1.3 million people have been displaced. The reservoir created by the damming of the river extends 370 miles (600 km) upriver, to Chongqing.
Tourism
Historical sites, such as the Shibaozhai Temple and the many pagodas along the Yangtze River, attract large numbers of Chinese visitors and foreign tourists each year. The Shibaozhai Temple was built on the northern bank of the river in the 1700s. Tourists visit Shanghai to see places such as the Bund, City God Temple, and the Oriental Pearl Tower. They also take guided boat tours through the Three Gorges.
