Ahai Dam
Encyclopedia
The Ahai Dam is an under construction gravity dam
on the Jinsha River
in Yulong County, Lijiang
Prefecture and in the river reach at about 5 km in the lower reaches of Cuiyu river mouth.
valley with a water surface 60 to 150 m wide and low water level of 1048 m. The landforms on both banks are basically symmetrical. There is a measurement of about 50 m wide tableland and about 30 degrees above water surface in the left bank , and the slope in the right bank is about 27 degree and the slope above the elevation of 1500 m is about 48 degree. There is poor sand and soil
materials and abundant limestone
material satisfied with requirement of quality and reserves within 20 km in the dam area, which is qualified for setting up low dam according to existing geological data. In the light of topographic and geological conditions, the Ahai dam
section can be considered as local material dam type with low height of swell, suitable for connection of backwater with Liyuan
cascade. The dam has normal water level of 1514 m, total reservoir capacity of 1.08 billion cubic meters and installed capacity of 2,000,000-2,200,000 kW. Now, a low-cost road to Niukexu has been opened to traffic, and there is only an about 5 km long path to the dam section.
project in China
, according to the First Financial Daily. Ma Jun
, director of the Institute for Public & Environmental Affairs, and Yang Yong
, representative for the Green Earth Volunteers, took part in the meeting to conduct technical evaluation on environmental impact assessment for the Ahai Dam on the Jingsha River on December 29–30, 2008 in Beijing
.
One expert at the meeting noted that major preliminary work on the dam had begun prior to completion of the environmental impact assessment – a violation of the 2002 Environmental Impact Assessment
Law (EIA
Law). However, the civil society representatives said that “in terms of procedural fairness, this a major stride towards fulfilling the public participation principles of the EIA
Law, a historical improvement.” This may be so, but this public participation is really just compliance with the EIA
Law. And, as currently set forth in the law, public participation happens quite late in the EIA
process. It would be much more beneficial to have public participation at, for example, the scoping stage when the range of potential environmental impacts to be investigated is set.
But the issue of work beginning prior to completion of the EIA
is perhaps the most problematic. Environmentalists are concerned in particular about the dam’s impacts on various local fish
species. Green Earth Volunteers director, Wang Yongchen
, noted that much more could have been done to reduce harm to biodiversity and local people if the EIA
on the dam had been conducted before work had begun on the project.
With major investment already made before completion of the EIA
, issues like siting of the project and possibly even key aspects of the dam’s design are essentially off-the-table for discussion. So it’s hard to see how any environmental impacts from these aspects of the project would be mitigated in a cost-effective way.
Link: “Jingsha River Ahai Hydropower Station Construction Controversy Still Exists”
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the Jinsha River
Jinsha River
Jinsha River is the westernmost of the major headwater streams of the Yangtze River, southwestern China.Its headwaters rise in the Wulan and Kekexili ranges in western Qinghai province, to the south of the Kunlun Mountains, and on the northern slope of the Tanggula Mountains on the border of the...
in Yulong County, Lijiang
Lijiang
Lijiang may refer to:*Lijiang, Yunnan , prefecture-level city in Yunnan Province, China*Old Town of Lijiang, World Heritage Site, in Lijiang City*Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County, formerly a county in Lijiang, Yunnan, China before 2002...
Prefecture and in the river reach at about 5 km in the lower reaches of Cuiyu river mouth.
Situation
The dam section is a transverseTransverse plane
The transverse plane is an imaginary plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts. It is perpendicular to the coronal and sagittal planes....
valley with a water surface 60 to 150 m wide and low water level of 1048 m. The landforms on both banks are basically symmetrical. There is a measurement of about 50 m wide tableland and about 30 degrees above water surface in the left bank , and the slope in the right bank is about 27 degree and the slope above the elevation of 1500 m is about 48 degree. There is poor sand and soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
materials and abundant limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
material satisfied with requirement of quality and reserves within 20 km in the dam area, which is qualified for setting up low dam according to existing geological data. In the light of topographic and geological conditions, the Ahai dam
Ahai Dam
The Ahai Dam is an under construction gravity dam on the Jinsha River in Yulong County, Lijiang Prefecture and in the river reach at about 5 km in the lower reaches of Cuiyu river mouth.-Situation:...
section can be considered as local material dam type with low height of swell, suitable for connection of backwater with Liyuan
Liyuan
Liyuan may refer to:Locations*Liyuan Station , a station on Beijing Subway*Liyuan Dam, a dam on the Jinsha River in Yunnan*Liyuan, Beijing , area of Tongzhou District, Beijing*Liyuan, Tangshan , town in Kaiping District, Tangshan, Hebei...
cascade. The dam has normal water level of 1514 m, total reservoir capacity of 1.08 billion cubic meters and installed capacity of 2,000,000-2,200,000 kW. Now, a low-cost road to Niukexu has been opened to traffic, and there is only an about 5 km long path to the dam section.
Environmental impact
Ten month marked the first time representatives from Chinese environmental groups were invited to participate in the environmental impact assessment for a major hydropowerHydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
project in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, according to the First Financial Daily. Ma Jun
Ma Jun
Ma Jun , style name Deheng , was a Chinese mechanical engineer and government official during the Three Kingdoms era of China...
, director of the Institute for Public & Environmental Affairs, and Yang Yong
Yang Yong
Emperor Yang Yong , nickname Xiandifa , sometimes known by his posthumous title of Prince of Fangling , was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty. He was the oldest son of Emperor Wen and his wife Empress Dugu Qieluo...
, representative for the Green Earth Volunteers, took part in the meeting to conduct technical evaluation on environmental impact assessment for the Ahai Dam on the Jingsha River on December 29–30, 2008 in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
One expert at the meeting noted that major preliminary work on the dam had begun prior to completion of the environmental impact assessment – a violation of the 2002 Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
Law (EIA
EIA
EIA may refer to:*Edmonton International Airport*EIA Multiport, a North American NTSC SCART connector*Electronic Industries Alliance , a US trade organization...
Law). However, the civil society representatives said that “in terms of procedural fairness, this a major stride towards fulfilling the public participation principles of the EIA
EIA
EIA may refer to:*Edmonton International Airport*EIA Multiport, a North American NTSC SCART connector*Electronic Industries Alliance , a US trade organization...
Law, a historical improvement.” This may be so, but this public participation is really just compliance with the EIA
EIA
EIA may refer to:*Edmonton International Airport*EIA Multiport, a North American NTSC SCART connector*Electronic Industries Alliance , a US trade organization...
Law. And, as currently set forth in the law, public participation happens quite late in the EIA
EIA
EIA may refer to:*Edmonton International Airport*EIA Multiport, a North American NTSC SCART connector*Electronic Industries Alliance , a US trade organization...
process. It would be much more beneficial to have public participation at, for example, the scoping stage when the range of potential environmental impacts to be investigated is set.
But the issue of work beginning prior to completion of the EIA
EIA
EIA may refer to:*Edmonton International Airport*EIA Multiport, a North American NTSC SCART connector*Electronic Industries Alliance , a US trade organization...
is perhaps the most problematic. Environmentalists are concerned in particular about the dam’s impacts on various local fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
species. Green Earth Volunteers director, Wang Yongchen
Wang Yongchen
Wang Yongchen is the Senior Environment Reporter for China National Radio. Wang founded Green Earth Volunteers, a Chinese environmental NGO, in 1996. She is the president of the group and organizes many of its activities.-Biography:...
, noted that much more could have been done to reduce harm to biodiversity and local people if the EIA
EIA
EIA may refer to:*Edmonton International Airport*EIA Multiport, a North American NTSC SCART connector*Electronic Industries Alliance , a US trade organization...
on the dam had been conducted before work had begun on the project.
With major investment already made before completion of the EIA
EIA
EIA may refer to:*Edmonton International Airport*EIA Multiport, a North American NTSC SCART connector*Electronic Industries Alliance , a US trade organization...
, issues like siting of the project and possibly even key aspects of the dam’s design are essentially off-the-table for discussion. So it’s hard to see how any environmental impacts from these aspects of the project would be mitigated in a cost-effective way.
Link: “Jingsha River Ahai Hydropower Station Construction Controversy Still Exists”
See also
- List of conventional hydroelectric power stations
- List of power stations in China