How old is China's well-known Three Gorges area on the Yangtze
River? After a four-year study, Chinese experts conclude the answer
is 2 million years.
The discovery was expected to be used in environmental pollution
and geographical disaster control in the Three Gorges area. The
valley had gained global fame since the building of the reservoir
for the massive Three Gorges Project which began to store water in
2003, said Yuan Daoxian, a renowned geologist with China's Academy
of Science.
The Three Gorges area used to be dales and hills with the
Yangtze running through. The gorges took form under the
co-influences of river erosion and frequent orogenic movements.
Yuan, also a professor with the Chongqing-based Southwest China
University, led an expert team to carry out research on the
development of the valley and the evolution of its environment
between 2003 to 2007.
The team conducted field investigation along the Three Gorges
section of the Yangtze and took rock and soil samples from 12 key
sites back to the lab for study.
"We have clarified the formation and distribution of different
landforms in the Three Gorges area, especially those that are prone
to geographical disasters like landslide and mud flow," he said,
adding the team would submit a research report to the
government.
The Three Gorges, which consist of the Qutang, Wuxia and Xiling
Gorges, extended for about 200 kilometers on the upper and middle
reaches of the Yangtze. They had become a popular world-class
tourist destination noted for their beautiful natural landscape and
numerous historical and cultural relics.
China launched the Three Gorges Project, the country's largest
hydro-power project, in 1993. Its 26 turbo-generators were designed
to eventually produce 84.7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity
annually after its scheduled completion next year.?
All About
Three Gorges
(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2008)
