The CCP is giving the Three Gorges Dam a lethal injection (euthanasia)
Before demolishing the Three Gorges Dam, a new waterway must first be created to divert the river around the dam. This is not particularly difficult — just open a gap in the riverbank at a safe distance from the dam. Blasting too close would risk destabilizing the dam itself.

The CCP naturally does not want to publicly announce its plan to dismantle the Three Gorges Dam. Instead, it claims the project is to build an additional set of 5-level double-line ship locks.

It’s time to face reality. Everyone knows how long the Three Gorges Dam can realistically last, how great the risks are, and how high the maintenance costs will be. The dam will have to be dismantled sooner or later. It is better to remove it proactively before a major disaster occurs and eliminate the future threat.

If floodwaters exceed the dam’s discharge capacity, the CCP will have no choice but to blow up the ship locks to save the dam. Once the locks are destroyed, the downstream area will be flooded and the navigation channel will be completely blocked. After the flood recedes, the reservoir water level will drop so low that power generation becomes impossible, and resealing the blasted ship lock channel will be extremely difficult.

Therefore, digging a dedicated flood discharge channel to bypass the Three Gorges Dam is the best option. Moreover, excavating such a bypass channel is not difficult and requires relatively limited time and money.

Look at the difference between the old and new ship locks. The old lock exit makes a sharp turn because ships need to navigate the bend. Since it is only a ship lock, it releases very little water, so flow resistance is not a major concern.

The new ship locks, however, are smooth and straight — especially the exit, which is almost in a straight line with the Yangtze River. This design is no longer a ship lock. It is a waterway.

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