What’s Happening Beneath the Three Gorges Dam? The Truth Will Shock You!

All will be covered today in China Under Cover. You find our information. Sky-high secrets behind the over $200 billion three gorges dam controlling the massive water discharge reaching tens of thousands in China has become a challenging task, especially as extreme weather events are becoming increasingly severe. The annual floods of the Yangtze River, also known as the Yangtze River floods, are one of the reasons China decided to build the three gorges dam, the largest dam in the country's history to complement the existing system of tens of thousands of dams across the country. However, in recent years, floods have been occurring more frequently due to abnormal heavy rainfall, causing significant concerns. The question arises, how can we control nearly 10,000 dams in this era of climate change when extreme rainfall events are threatening the livelihoods of communities around? The idea behind building the three gorges dam was that by regulating water and gradually releasing it, they would control water flow and prevent disasters similar to the 1931 flood event, which resulted in the deaths of millions of people in cities along the Yangtze River, or the 1998 floods that left millions homeless. According to Fox News, since the start of the season in central and south China a few months ago, at least 141 people have died, and approximately 28,000 homes have been damaged in the Yangtze River region. The floods have had a significant impact on most of mainland China. Waputi Minister of Water Resources stated that the completion of the three gorges dam project is a tool for flood control. However, less than 20 years after its completion, we are witnessing one of the highest floodwaters in history. In reality, the three gorges dam cannot prevent such severe events. The three gorges dam was officially completed in 2006 and is one of China's most costly and controversial projects. Approximately 1.4 million people had to be relocated due to this massive dam on the Yangtze River, while the dam is promoted as the best solution to end centuries of flooding along the Yangtze River and to provide electricity for China's industries. Some geologists argue that releasing too much water from the reservoir poses a high risk of causing earthquakes and long-term damage to the river's ecosystem. Critics of the project, like Chinese geologist Fan Xiao, have spoken out, claiming that the three gorges dam and other massive hydroelectric dam projects could worsen floods by altering the natural flow of rivers. Zhang Ping, an activist in Jiangsu province, commented, I think all the experts who opposed the construction of the three gorges dam were right. Since it was built, it has never played a role in preventing floods or droughts, as we once thought. China has approximately 98,000 dams, with most of them being small-scale and built before 1970. Besides flood control, these dams play a crucial role in hydropower generation and ensuring water supply to the population. In July 2021, cracks appeared in the massive Yuton dam in Hubei province, causing significant damage after heavy rainfall. This event triggered the highest-level flood warning, with Hubei province in central China being hit the hardest. An unusually heavy rainfall event in Trinqiu, the provincial capital of Hainan province, resulted in widespread flooding within a single day. This led to severe flooding, with over 300 people killed, including many passengers trapped in a flooded subway. Professor John Nishin, a meteorologist at the University of Hong Kong, described this as an unprecedented rainfall event in the city's history. He also emphasized that with the earth's warming, water vapor is evaporating faster, making such events more common. In 2020, China experienced the fourth-largest amount of rainfall since 1951, resulting in severe flooding across southern and eastern China. Consequently, the water level at the three gorges dam rose nearly two meters higher than the flood warning level. One dam collapsed in 2021 despite being built and prepared diligently. Mohamed, an associate professor of civil engineering at London's Bruce Smith University, explained that this rapid collapse was due to an unprecedented amount of rainfall that exceeded the dam's designed maximum flood opacity. The PMF is the concept of the largest flooded dam can withstand. The breach of the dam affected 16,660 people, submerged 21,708 hectares of farmland, and destroyed 22 bridges, 124 culverts, and 15.6 kilometers of highways. To cope with the emergency, the Chinese National Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters declared a level 3 emergency response and deployed an emergency response team to the scene to guide and support local emergency response. Local residents were evacuated to safe places, but there is no information available on casualties at the time of this report. China's Water Resources Department stated that the total water volume in the two breached dams was 46 million cubic meters. According to the department, the average rainfall in Hulubui was 87 mem, with the highest at 223 em at the Morinawa Observation Station. Why does Chinese people protest the construction of Three Gorges Dam? Since the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, it has been a subject of continuous controversy, with opinions about it sharply divided. Some regard it as a guardian of the Yellow River, while others consider it a painful lesson in water management history. Particularly in the Xi'an region, there seems to be little emotional connection to the Three Gorges Dam. So what's the story behind this? Why is there such a stark division of opinions, and why did the Three Gorges Dam become a painful lesson? Frequent inundation of surrounding areas by river water is a recurring problem, and the vegetation along the banks often suffers severe destruction, with countless plants perishing. The Yellow River is one of the world's most sediment-laden rivers, resulting in its murky waters and continuous silt accumulation. Legend has it that in ancient times, the Yellow River was obstructed by the Taihang Mountains in the area of Xi'an County. The turbulent Yellow River further inundated the surrounding villages. When Yu the Great, a legendary figure in flood control, managed the waters, he chiseled open the Longmen Dizhu and split a high mountain with a massive axe, creating three fissures. Consequently, these three fissures came to be known as the Human Gate, God Gate, and Ghost Gate. It was for this reason that the city of Three Gorges Dam exists. The Soviet Union dispatched a hydraulic expert to assist China, and he was tasked with leading China's first major hydraulic project, the Three Gorges Dam. Thus, this significant project began amid the high expectations of many. Burkov, the Soviet expert, was commissioned to travel to China and immediately conducted on-site investigations in Three Gorges Dam, proposing that the first dam be built at Three Gorges Dam. Foreign designers did not have a comprehensive understanding of China's topography and environmental conditions, nor did they fully grasp the actual situation and complexity of the Yellow River. Consequently, they hastily decided on a design plan, laying the groundwork for potential hazards in this project of national importance. Professor Huang Wanli, an expert in water resources from China's Tsinghua University, vehemently opposed the decision to build the dam at Three Gorges Dam. He believed that the region had a significant amount of lust, and if the issue of sediment was not addressed, it would lead to severe consequences. He predicted that the Yellow River wrestles with seven sands phenomenon would inevitably result in sediment accumulation. During the discussions and surveys, Huang Wanli repeatedly submitted written opinions, providing a detailed analysis of why the Three Gorges Dam's project could not proceed. This analysis covered various aspects, including geological and ecological factors, as well as military considerations. However, at that time, no one understood or accepted Professor Huang Wanli's views, and no one was willing to listen. It wasn't just Huang Wanli who opposed this course of action. Several domestic hydraulic experts also expressed strong objections, firmly opposing the construction of high dams and reservoirs for sediment retention. Despite Huang Wanli's vigorous arguments, Soviet experts fell on deaf ears. The conference in 1957 turned into a platform for criticizing Huang Wanli, and ultimately, the Three Gorges Dam project proceeded as planned. The Yellow River issue seemed to be resolved. However, it wasn't as straightforward as it appeared. After the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, the Yellow River's flow was impeded, forming the Three Gorges Dam. This move stored vast water resources, resolving long-standing water-related disasters in the Middle and Lower Reaches. However, the upstream Shanxi Province suffered unfortunate consequences bearing the brunt of it, and its people endured tremendous hardship and a sense of helplessness. This situation can perhaps be described as a two-edged sword of an issue. When the dam construction began, it decisively included water storage, but insufficient consideration was given to the issue of sediment removal. As a result, a significant amount of sediment accumulated in the riverbed between Tongguan and Three Gorges Dam, forcing the riverbed to be elevated by four to five meters. As a consequence, the Wei River was compelled to become a hanging river above the ground, directly threatening the safety of Axian. The situation became increasingly dire, with seaver salinization and swampification of vast areas of farmland. In the Guanzhong Plain, food production plummeted, and the complaints of farmers became a constant refrain. Thus the Chinese government became aware of the seriousness of the situation, realizing that it urgently needed to address the sediment buildup issue at Three Gorges Dam. To address this, Three Gorges Dam underwent a significant transformation, forcibly blasting two holes and four pipes at the dam's base to facilitate sediment removal and flood discharge. Following this renovation, the Three Gorges Dam's hydraulic facility saw its flood discharge capacity double, effectively alleviating the sediment accumulation problem. However, regrettably, twenty of the sediment remained unable to be discharged. Issues in the upstream region to Shaz Tongguan persisted, and a substantial amount of sediment continued to accumulate in the reservoir, significantly affecting its flood control and water supply capabilities. They constructed a series of small reservoirs in the Wei River Basin, implementing measures such as afforestation to prevent soil erosion and reduce sediment generation. However, these efforts only provided temporary relief without fundamentally addressing the issue. Moreover, the ecological environment in the Yellow River Basin suffered significant damage, extending beyond the above-mentioned problems. Due to a lack of sediment discharge facilities, sediment accumulated in the reservoir, leading to reduced meandering of the surrounding river channels. Floods worsened in the Wei River region due to a significant rise in the groundwater level upstream of the reservoir. Additionally, the construction of the reservoir led to the destruction of downstream vegetation and fish habitats, pushing some rare fish species to the brink of extinction. During that time, to raise substantial construction funds, the government not only increased the tax burden on farmers, but also conscripted tens of thousands of farmers to participate in the construction projects. When farmlands were submerged by floods, farmers lost their income and food security. In response to this situation, local governments provided special arrangements for the affected residents. In a recent year, there are too many news on Chinese social media reporting Three Gorges Dam's capacity and its quality as well as the risk of being blown up. China has reportedly spent $200 billion on the Three Gorges Project. How would China respond if the Three Gorges Dam were destroyed? Who would dare to attack the Three Gorges Dam after seeing the military forces deployed in surrounding area? Is it really as vulnerable as foreign forces claim? The Three Gorges Dam is the largest hydraulic engineering project in the world. Located within the territory of Sanduping Town, Yichang City, Hubei Province, approximately 38 kilometers from the downstream Jeshuba Water Conservancy Hub Project. The historical significance of the Three Gorges Dam is extraordinary by harnessing hydropower in the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It generates a continuous supply of hydroelectric resources, supplying power to more than 10 provinces including Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Guangdong. In post-liberation China, the hope was that China could embark on national development and industrialization. However, just a year later, the outbreak of the Korean War required China to send its volunteer troops to Korea, diverting resources and attention. After three years of fighting in Korea, China began to vigorously develop heavy industry, and the country's leaders once again prioritized the construction of the Three Gorges Project. However, the early stages focused on the development of the Joba Dam, which laid the foundation for the Three Gorges Project. It wasn't until the 1980s that the leaders of China once again pushed for the construction of the Three Gorges Project. They recognized the enormous cost of the project, but they believed that its completion would attract worldwide attention and be a symbol of China's rapid development. Initially, experts planned to raise the water level by 150 meters. However, during preparations, Chongqing argued that 150 meters was not sufficient and that it should be raised to 180 meters. After multiple discussions and debates, it was finally decided to raise it by 175 meters. On December 14, 1994, the Three Gorges Project officially began construction, and it was successfully completed on May 20, 2006, after 12 years and 5 months of construction. It became one of the world's largest hydropower projects. As of July 2012, the Three Gorges Hydropower Station has become the world's largest clean energy production base, with an annual electricity generation capacity exceeding 103.1 billion kilowatt hours. This level of electricity generation surpasses the world record set by the jointly constructed Itaipu Dam by Brazil and Paraguay in South America. The electricity generated by the Three Gorges Hydropower Station is continuously supplied to cities in the Yangtze River Basin, providing significant support for the economic development of the region. The total length of the Three Gorges Dam is 3,335 meters, and its height is 185 meters. The dam is equipped with 32 single units, each with a capacity of 700,000 kilowatts. In addition to these units, there are six underground units and two additional 50 million kilowatt units. The total installed capacity is 22.5 million kilowatts, and the annual electricity generation exceeds 100 billion kilowatt hours. It is, without a doubt, the world's largest hydroelectric power station. If the Three Gorges Dam collapsed, it could come from multiple causes. One of them is the aging and damage to the dam's structure. We all know about tofu construction projects which have been available in China. Prolonged exposure to natural forces such as water pressure and earthquakes can lead to cracks and fatigue in the dam's concrete. Additionally, the presence of design and construction defects during the building and maintenance processes could increase the dam's vulnerability. Once the Three Gorges Dam collapses, it would trigger massive floods in the downstream areas along the Yangtze River. Floodwaters would rapidly spread downstream, posing a severe threat to millions of people and extensive land areas. Floods could inundate cities, farmland, and infrastructure, resulting in significant casualties and property damage. The collapse of the Three Gorges Dam would have far-reaching impacts on the ecosystem. After the dam's collapse, floodwaters would wash away habitats and ecosystems along the river, leading to the death of numerous plants and animals. Moreover, the sediment and pollutants carried by the floodwaters would further harm the river's ecosystem, potentially triggering a series of environmental disasters, including water pollution and the extinction of aquatic life. The collapse of the Three Gorges Dam would have a significant impact on China and the global economy. The dam serves as a crucial hydroelectric energy source in China, and its collapse would result in a massive energy shortage. Furthermore, the dam's failure would disrupt Yangtze River navigation, causing severe disruptions to inland transportation and international trade. People would face issues such as housing shortages, infrastructure damage, and social disorder, placing a heavy burden on local residents and the economic system. From this perspective, it is highly unlikely that an enemy would attempt to use air power against the Three Gorges Dam. However, in the event of an actual attack on the dam, China's nuclear weapons would come into play, undoubtedly unleashing mushroom clouds in the aggressor's territory. Nevertheless, such a scenario is considered highly improbable. In today's world, no country dares to openly provoke China to that extent. If the Three Gorges Dam were threatened, the massive flow of the Yangtze River downstream would pose a threat to the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, even impacting China's economy significantly. In the worst-case scenario, it could set China back by 20 years. Once hailed as an economic miracle and a symbol of rapid development, China now faces a grim reality of comprehensive crisis. From roads collapsing without warning, cities submerged by floods to tofu infrastructure crumbling. After mere years, the country grapples with profound issues in infrastructure economy, society, and politics. Behind the glossy facade of modern cities lies a troubling truth, carefully concealed by the Chinese Communist Party CCP. Ancient bridges stand firm through centuries, while modern constructions fall like sandcastles. The voices of the people are silenced, disasters are covered up and public trust is eroding. Join us as we uncover the story of a China on the brink, where truth is buried under official narratives and tight control. Ancient Bridges vs. Tofu Projects A Painful Contrast Over 1,400 years ago, master engineer Li Chun of the Sui dynasty built the Xiao Bridge in Hebei, a marvel of engineering that without steel or rebar has withstood floods, earthquakes, and wars. Similarly, the Jiuquan Iron Bridge in Lanzhou, constructed by the German company Teil in 1909, still spans the Yellow River. When its 80-year warranty expired in 1989, German engineers even sent a letter reminding local authorities about maintenance, as if foreseeing future negligence. In stark contrast, modern Chinese infrastructure has become synonymous with the term tofu projects—buildings, roads, and bridges that collapse shortly after completion. The phrase, coined by former Premier Zhu Rongji in 1998, was a scathing critique of shoddy construction during southern China's floods. Today, tofu projects are a painful reality. From June to July 2025, a series of road collapses swept across China. On June 4, a road at the Shuxiang and Guangming intersection in Handan Hebei caved in, dragging two vehicles and injuring three people. On June 24, a car in Yunnan nearly fell into a sinkhole on Yingsin Road. On July 11, a sinkhole in Xinjiang halted traffic. Authorities blamed leaking underground pipes, but the public no longer buys these familiar excuses. A more tragic incident occurred in 2024 on the Meidabao Expressway in Guangdong, where an 18-meter section collapsed, sending 23 vehicles plummeting, killing 48 people, and injuring over 30. The official explanation? Landslides due to heavy rain. Experts, however, pointed to poor drainage systems and substandard materials as the real culprits. Beijing Floods of 2025. Nature or Human Failure In late July 2025, Beijing, China's capital, was engulfed by historic floods. Rain began on July 23, but by July 26, northern districts like Miyun Haidian and Yangqing were hit with 543.4 mm of rain over five days nearly four years' worth. Communities watched as cars floated like toys, homes were flattened, and a multi-ton container was swept hundreds of meters by floodwaters. But rain was only part of the story. The real disaster stemmed from deadly decisions made in control rooms. On the afternoon of July 27, at least nine reservoirs around Beijing simultaneously opened their floodgates, with Miyun Reservoir increasing its discharge from 80 m3s to 400 m3s without warning residents. The result was catastrophic. Downstream villages were submerged. The Taishi Nursing Home in Miyun became the epicenter of tragedy, with 31 fatalities. A Survivor Mr. Fu recounted the moment floodwaters hit him and a caregiver to climb through a window and cling to the roof for three hours. Firefighters swam through raging waters to rescue 48 people, but for many, help came too late. A relative of a victim shared, My aunt and her paralyzed grandson drowned in the flood. A muddy handprint on the nursing home's high wall stood as a haunting testament to the victim's desperation. A Chilling Silence Victims Silenced In many countries, disaster survivors share their stories through tearful interviews. In China, a chilling silence prevails. Survivors of Beijing's floods or road collapses have no platform to express their pain or anger. Dissident Jin Rui Zhang once said, From childhood, you're taught not to say anything against the government. If you try a psychological reflex kicks in a fear that trouble is coming. Videos of floods or collapses on social media are swiftly censored. The Weibo topic, Forbidden City Flooding, was deleted shortly after going viral, and a livestreamer attempting to record the Miyun Reservoir discharge was stopped by security. The official death toll, 44 in Beijing, including 31 at Taishi Nursing Home, is widely doubted. Lawyer Zhen told The Epoch Times, I don't believe that number and many Chinese don't either. This skepticism stems from the 2021 Zhengzhou floods, where authorities initially reported dozens of deaths, only to later revise the toll to 398, admitting local officials had hidden the truth. This information control not only erodes public trust but leaves citizens feeling powerless, forced to accept official narratives without question. Corruption and Corner Cutting The Disease of Construction The root cause of infrastructure disasters lies not just in nature, but in corruption and negligence. Architect Li Hu in The State of Chinese Architecture notes that the rapid growth of the construction industry has led to the use of substandard materials like low-grade cement or wire instead of rebar. Xiono, a student with family in the industry, told NPR, If the central government demands 10cm of steel by the time it reaches the province, it's 8cm. At the city level, it's 5cm. That's normal. Contractors and developers prioritize profits over safety, pocketing the savings from cut corners. A 2025 study by Wenping and colleagues revealed that rapid urbanization in Guangdong has sacrificed construction standards. Cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen grew too fast, leaving infrastructure unable to keep up increasing risks of flooding and subsidence. Additionally, the rise of heavy electric vehicles is believed to strain roads not designed for continuous heavy loads, further contributing to collapses, economic decline, financial strain, and public debt. The infrastructure crisis is just one piece of a larger puzzle. China's economy faces severe challenges, a shrinking population, a collapsing real estate market, and bankrupt developers have left cities drowning in debt. Research by Jaime Bay and Pyun Xie warns that financial pressures force contractors to cut corners, resulting in dangerous tofu projects. Meanwhile, the CCP continues to pour funds into massive projects like the 1.2 trillion yuan Yalung-Zangbo hydropower project in Tibet, despite concerns about geological risks and excess power capacity. Experts like Fan Xiao call it a potential tofu project, driven more by politics than practicality. Disregard for Lives, Deadly Decisions by Authorities The 2025 Beijing floods exposed the CCP's indifference to human lives. Reservoirs like Miyun, designed to control floods, were instead used to store water for the South-North Water Diversion Project, leaving them dangerously full before the storm hit. When floods came, the decision to open floodgates simultaneously, without warning, turned downstream villages into Dr. Wan Weilu stated bluntly, The CCP's first priority is protecting Beijing. They also protect Tianjin, but only the urban core, not the farmers. This negligence is not new. During the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, the Huangyang Reservoir nearly collapsed, threatening to flood Tian'anmen Square. History repeated in 2025, as villages that should have been relocated years ago were left vulnerable. A pig farmer in Miyun, who lost his entire herd, angrily remarked, You build reservoirs to make money from power generation, but ordinary people bear the floods. What are reservoirs for? To drown us. People saving themselves. The Absence of Authorities Amid the disasters official rescue efforts were nearly non-existent. In Beijing, despite state media claiming 1,200 soldiers were deployed, many residents saw no sign of aid. Instead, heroism came from ordinary citizens. A man in Liuli Temple used a forklift to save over 80 neighbors. In another village, locals organized their own search teams, working with the few firefighters present. Ms. Li, a Beijing resident, concluded, Officials only report good news, not bad. In reality, people save themselves. The story of a Liuli Temple survivor highlights this resilience. As floodwaters poured into his home, he swam to rescue his neighbor's mother-in-law, using a wooden door as a makeshift raft. He built a temporary bridge from planks to guide people to safety, and climbed a slippery mountain to find food, clothes, and medicine. These acts of bravery not only showcase courage but also serve as a painful reminder of the authorities' absence when needed most. Conclusion A Call to Awaken China stands at a historic crossroads. The infrastructure crisis, devastating floods, and economic decline are not isolated issues but symptoms of a fractured system. Corruption, cost-cutting, and the CCP's indifference have left citizens helpless while strict censorship prevents them from speaking out. Ancient bridges stand as a reminder of an era when quality and responsibility came first. Today, however, tofu projects and deadly decisions are costing lives and trust. As the truth remains hidden, the Chinese people face an uncertain future. Can they break the silence and demand accountability from their government? Will these disasters spark change? The answer lies with the people themselves who are saving each other amid floods and rubble. Share your thoughts on this crisis. Can China overcome these challenges or will the CCP's secrets continue to push the nation into a spiral of instability? Stay tuned for the latest updates on China's unfolding story.