Three Gorges.......(Sandoupling, near Yichang, China)

At 6300kms, the Yangzti River is the 3rd longest in the world - and it appears to be also one of the 'brownest'! It marks the border between north and south China both geographically and culturally.
Along this part of the river, just upstream from a city called Yichang, there are the Three Gorges....and the Three Gorges dam project, a project of some discussion which will displace 1.3m people, raise the water level by 135 meters and cover up approximately 8000 unexcavated archaeological sites. And will also provide at least 10% of China's power needs. In true BCG style, it's gone ahead, despite strong support (not) from their own people, historians and a major eco group beginning with the letter G. And any local non-supporters have been held, allegedly, at Her Majesty's pleasure.
This is an area of outstanding beauty and it really has dramatic scenary......and it's slowly being decimated. It dawned on me that there were no birds singing here or other animals to be seen apart from a few farmed goats and pointedly, no fish in the river - they had all been eaten according to our guide. The excursion down this part of the river has really brought home to me how, due to their vast numbers, a certain race of people is rav*g**g parts of its country and r*p**g the land with apparently little thought for the future.
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaThreeGorges#