The world's earthquake experts have identified tectonic plate movements as the cause of this week's earthquake in southwestern China. But the question now is did the filling of the massive Three Gorges reservoir, which reaches the southeastern part of the Sichuan Basin, trigger seismic activity in what has always been an earthquake-prone region?
Engineers have already linked the massive weight of water behind the Three Gorges dam to increased seismic activity since its filling began in 2003.
"Whether reservoir-induced seismicity is behind this week's earthquake should be urgently investigated before the Three Gorges reservoir is filled to its maximum height," says Patricia Adams, executive director of Probe International, a Canadian group monitoring the Three Gorges dam since the 1980s.
A recent article in Scientific American, explained that the reservoir sits on two major faults: the Jiuwanxi and the Zigui–Badong. According to Fan Xiao, a geologist at the Bureau of Geological Exploration and Exploitation of Mineral Resources in Sichuan province, changing the water level will strain the fault lines.
Astounding. I loved the discussion on the fact that the dam is designed to withstand earthquakes ... entirely missing the point that the earthquakes, apparently, aren't withstanding the dam, and ignoring the human cost of the recent earthquake. And they do seem awfully convinced that it is the weight of water which is increasing seismic activity - so why on Earth haven't they done anything about since they became convinced 5 years ago? Reminds me of another discussion going on here at the moment about responsibility and decision-taking ...
Astounding. I am flabbergasted that anything man-made could have such an impact on geology. I wonder how much water is behind that dam system?
There was so much objection (outside China anyway - object inside China and you're likely to get beaten by the police and arrested for criminal damage to pubic property, namely, the trunchon, with your head) over this project and it was all ignored, so I can't imagine the authorities there will take much notice of this.
Wow. It just goes to show that everything we do has an effect
"Only after the last tree has been cut down,
Only after the last river has been poisoned,
Only after the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you realise that money cannot be eaten" Cree Indian prophecy
