Innovative solutions for Yangtze River's water crisis
RIS ID
85583
Abstract
Yangtze River is one of the largest rivers in the world, it has disasters like floods, droughts, sedimentation and water pollution etc. After the operation of Three-Gorge-Dam (TGD), the largest dam in the basin, the water shortage problem becomes very severe and frequent, especially in dry seasons. This chapter's analysis shows that the application of SPP scheme in Dongting and Poyang Lakes in the river basin can successfully eliminate these disasters. The so called SPP stands for "separation, prevention and protection", the chapter presents how to apply the SPP to these lakes. The feasibility is discussed in terms of technology, economical affordability and environmental sustainability. The chapter also compares the SPP scheme with the scheme of sluice gates/dam at the lake's outlets which the local governments have been put forward, the results show that the payback periods of two schemes are almost same, but the SPP scheme is much better than the gate/dam scheme in every aspect. It is found that the disasters in the river basin can be effectively eliminated if the proposed SPP is applied in the basin's lakes.
Publication Details
Yang, S. (2013). Innovative solutions for Yangtze River's water crisis. In T. Maloney & B. Hutchins (Eds.), Yangtze River: Geography, Pollution and Environmental Implications (pp. 1-20). United States of America: NOVA Publishers.