1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 History of Research Efforts 1.2 Process of Compilation 1.3 Scope,Hierarchic System,and Methodology of Assessment 1.3.1 Scope of assessment 1.3.2 Hierarchic system of assessment 1.3.3 Methodology of assessment 1.4 The Laws,Regulations and Agencies Related to Environmental Protection 1.4.1 The laws and regulations related to environmental protection 1.4.2 Agencies for environmental protection 2 OBJECTIVES AND SCENARIO ALTERNATIVES OF THE PROJECT 2.1 Objectives 2.2 Comparison and Selection of Project Alternatives 2.2.1 Comparison and selection of NPL scenarios 2.2.2 Comparison and selection of the dam sites 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 3.1 Project Layout 3.2 Schedule,Work Quantities,and Investment in Construction of the Project 3.2.1 Construction schedule 3.2.2 Major work quantities of the Project 3.2.3 Investment estimation 3.3 Reservoir Characteristics and Operating Mode 3.3.1 Reservoir characteristics 3.3.2 Reservoir operating mode 3.4 Variation in Hydrological and Sediment Regime 3.5 Reservoir Impoundment and Resettlement 3.6 Major Benefits from the Project 3.7 Major Environmental Benefits 4 ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND 4.1 Environmental Setting of the Basin 4.2 Environmental Setting of the Reservoir Area 4.3 Major Environmental Problems in the Basin and the Reservoir Area 4.3.1 Soil erosion in the upper basin 4.3.2 Ecological and environmental issues in the reservoir area 4.3.3 Flood and waterlogging in the plain region of the middle and lower basins 4.3.4 Schistosomiasis 4.3.5 Ecology and environment of the lower reaches and the estuary 5 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 5.1 Local Climate 5.1.1 Climatic features in the reservoir area 5.1.2 Prediction and assessment of impacts on the local climate 5.1.3 Countermeasures and suggestions 5.2 Water Quality 5.2.1 Current status 5.2.2 Impact prediction and assessment 5.2.3 Countermeasures and suggestions 5.3 Water Temperature 5.3.1 Water temperature condition of the natural river channel 5.3.2 Prediction and assessment of the impacts on water temperature 5.3.3 Countermeasures and suggestions 5.4 Environmental Geology 5.4.1 Stability analysis of the earth's crust 5.4.2 Reservoir induced seismicity 5.4.3 Reservoir bank stability 5.4.4 Reservoir leakage 5.5 Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation 5.5.1 Current status 5.5.2 Impacts on species 5.5.3 Countermeasures and suggestions 5.6 Terrestrial Fauna 5.6.1 Current status 5.6.2 Prediction and assessment of the impacts 5.6.3 Countermeasures and suggestions 5.7 Aquatic Life 5.7.1 Current status 5.7.2 Prediction and assessment of the impacts 5.7.3 Countermeasures and suggestions 5.8 Sediment Deposition in the Reservoir and Channel Scouring Downstream the Dam 5.8.1 Sediment inflow characteristics and regulation scheme of the reservoir 5.8.2 Sediment deposition and its impacts 5.8.3 Impacts on downstream riverbed erosion 5.9 Environmental Issues in the Lake Areas in the Middle Reaches 5.9.1 Environmental setting 5.9.2 Impacts on the four-lake region 5.9.3 Impacts on the Dongting Lake region and the Poyang Lake region 5.9.4 Countermeasures and suggestions 5.10 Ecological and Environmental Issues in the Estuary Region 5.10.1 Impacts on estuarine runoff 5.10.2 Impacts on salt-water intrusion in the estuary 5.10.3 Impacts on the trend of soil salinization in the estuarine delta 5.10.4 Impacts on sedimentation and erosion in the estuary 5.10.5 Impacts on nutrients and fishery in the estuary and the coastal areas 5.10.6 Countermeasures and suggestions 6 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS ON THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 6.1 Reservoir Inundation and Resettlement 6.1.1 General description of the inundation and resettlement 6.1.2 Assessment of impact of resettlement on the environment 6.1.3 Countermeasures and suggestions 6.2 Public Health 6.2.1 Schistosomiasis 6.2.2 Malaria 6.2.3 Impacts on prevalence of other diseases 6.2.4 Impacts of construction and resettlement on public health and countermeasures 6.3 Natural Landscape and Historic Relics 6.3.1 Features of natural landscape and historic relics 6.3.2 Impacts on the natural landscape 6.3.3 Impacts on historic relics and cultural heritages 6.3.4 Countermeasures and suggestions 6.4 Impacts of Construction on the Environment 6.4.1 The layout of construction and its features 6.4.2 Environmental background 6.4.3 Impacts of construction 6.4.4 Countermeasures 7 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF PUBLIC CONCERNS 7.1 Whether will Construction of the Three Gorges Project Aggravate the Upstream Flood Damage 7.2 Species and Their Habitats 7.3 Soil Erosion Control in the Upper Basin and Construction of the Shelter Forests in the Middle and Upper Basins of the Yangtze River 7.4 Solid Wastes Arbitrarily Piled up Along the Banks of the Reservoir 7.5 Analysis for Impacts of a Dam-breaking 7.6 Impacts on the Environment in Chongqing City 8 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 8.1 Participation of the Affected Public 8.2 Participation of Experts 8.3 Participation of the Political Groups 8.4 Participation of the News Media 9 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOLOGICAL MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 9.1 Environmental and Ecological Monitoring System 9.1.1 Main tasks 9.1.2 Objectives of monitoring 9.1.3 Main parameters to be monitored 9.1.4 Structure of the monitoring system 9.2 Environmental Management System and Its Responsibility 9.2.1 Setting up an authorized system for ecological and environmental management 9.2.2 Enacting laws,policies and regulations for the environmental protection in the Three Gorges Project 10 FUNDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 11 CONCLUSIONS,COUNTERMEASURES AND SUGGESTIONS 11.1 Conclusions 11.2 Countermeasures and Suggestions POSTSCRIPT FIGTURE ON THE COVER:A Bird's-eye View of the Three Gorges Project