China’s mind-bending megadam plan could see international tensions explode

a reply to: Vector99

Nope, not a flat earther.

a reply to: BlankUsername

That's good, you at least willing to acknowledge the fact the Three Gorges actually slowed earth's rotation?

a reply to: Vector99

No, there is no way to measure the rotation of the earth to that miniscule of a scale.

a reply to: BlankUsername

Does your phone have navigation (map)? Then it actually is measuring down to that level. All a GPS does is listen to timing signals from several satellites and compares the difference between them. With this information and a map from the internet, it lets you find out where you are and how to get to where you want to go. You have the technology in your pocket, it is just optimized for a different purpose.

No matter where you go, there you are.

a reply to: beyondknowledge

If they go ahead with this, they must be pretty sure that they won't be in any war situation for a very long time what do we not know?

a reply to: anonentity

It could be a target in a war from both sides. Knock it out to remove the added water supply from China or blow it up to attack down stream targets by China.

Water is a powerful weapon if you need it or if you are washed away by it.

I wonder what China will do if the Three Gorges Dam lets go during the construction of this one?

originally posted by: gb540
The sagging Three Gorges Dam wasn't lesson enough for China on such projects? Do the same thing twice, only much more difficult this time, and expect different results?

originally posted by: BlankUsername
Meh, they can build a dam in their country if they want to.

Problem is India and Bangladesh are downstream. I wouldn't be too happy either at the prospect of the river being significantly reduced or even cut off as China fills the dam. Nor with the risk of an Apocalyptic-scale disaster if something ever did go wrong.

India fills any watercourse through its country with pollution and dead bodies. I hope China do cut off the flow, they might have to consider treating the water and reusing it and proper sanitation including the incinerator to burn the dead without polluting the world.

The weight of the water in the dam area could cause a fault to activate causing earthquakes. I have read about that happening with huge dams in scientific articles.

originally posted by: BlankUsername
a reply to: Vector99

No, there is no way to measure the rotation of the earth to that miniscule of a scale.

GPS.

Precisely calibrated to a certain setting. Thousands of those precisely orbiting and providing GPS data.

The thousands of GPS satellites didn't coordinate a concerted move together, it was earth itself that was the calculation to make all GPS work properly again.

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
a reply to: BlankUsername

Meh, they can build a dam in their country if they want to.

So, you don't mind that China will be slowing down the Earths rotation yet again? And this time to a greater amount because of more water involved.

Kinetica

For common sense perspective, the 2011 Fukushima (Tohoku) 'quake was strong enough to speed up the earth's rotation & shorten the day by around 1.5 microseconds (you didn't even notice, didja?) It also dickered with the axis degree a touch, too.

So pray-tell, how is a dam going to outdo a 8+-pointer megaquake? I'll be waiting here with the popcorn, sport.

a reply to: Nyiah

Mass distribution. The water all piled up in one place increases the mass locally and this affects the overall ballance of the spin of the planet.

The Three Gorges Dam usually holds around 27.2 million cubic meters of water. That is 27,200,000,000 kilograms of water that had never been there in one place before.

That is 27.2 billion kilograms. You don't think that has an affect on the Earths rotation? This proposed dam is bigger.

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: BlankUsername
a reply to: beyondknowledge

WHAT? Do you honestly think there is anything humans can do that will slow down Earth's rotation?

Yes, the Three Gorges Dam, you know the largest one in the world....the one that is on verge of complete collapse within a decade.

It slowed Earth's rotation. It's extremely minuscule, but it sure did do just that.

Now they want to build a bigger one?

Umm...sometimes things you do in your own country literally affect your neighboring countries, and the entire planet earth itself.


Would you feel the same way if the USA decided to dam up the Colorado river, essentially cutting a huge fresh water supply to Mexico?

Is this a joke?

Please tell me you're being funny.

en.appledaily.com...

Power shortages first reported in China’s southern Guangdong province now appear to be spreading to other parts of central and northern China, with some businesses needing to rent high-cost diesel generators to keep going.

Since May, areas of Guangdong — including Dongguan, Foshan and Huizhou — have been forced to take measures to restrict electricity use, throwing companies’ manufacturing plans into disarray. Many were forced to alter their manufacturing schedules to conform to the authorities’ new restrictions.

The restrictions have also affected workers’ hours, and livelihoods.

My understanding is with the war of words going on with Australia and other countries the coal imports have fallen drastically. So there is a big push to generate electricity as the growing factory needs outstrip the power generation ability and will continue to grow into the foreseeable future..

originally posted by: tamusan
a reply to: tamusan
I tell people all of the time that it doesn't matter what we do for pollution unless we get China onboard.

Would you not suppose, building the worlds biggest hydroelectric..is a way to reduce pollution? Sounds like it to me. I get what you are saying, and agree in general, but this is how you reduce coal burning.

I'm not advocating for this, just pointing out hydroelectric is about as clean as it gets.

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: BlankUsername
a reply to: beyondknowledge

WHAT? Do you honestly think there is anything humans can do that will slow down Earth's rotation?

Yes, the Three Gorges Dam, you know the largest one in the world....the one that is on verge of complete collapse within a decade.

It slowed Earth's rotation. It's extremely minuscule, but it sure did do just that.

Now they want to build a bigger one?

Umm...sometimes things you do in your own country literally affect your neighboring countries, and the entire planet earth itself.

Would you feel the same way if the USA decided to dam up the Colorado river, essentially cutting a huge fresh water supply to Mexico?

You mean like the Hoover Dam? You know the Hoover Dam that is on the Colorado River?

a reply to: Lucidparadox
a reply to: Mythos13

Fair enough, maybe not the best example, but in the 30's there wasn't an extreme drought in the southwest causing the river to significantly decline in volume, there was plenty of water to dam the river and only slightly disrupt its distribution for a few years. There was also a treaty for water rights signed in '44, and after actually looking into it, the Colorado didn't supply as much water to Mexico as I had originally thought/assumed (yeah yeah, assuming makes an ass of u and me)

That, and I just don't trust China to build a dam on that scale and build it to a sufficient engineering quality standard to be long-lasting. The hoover dam is nearly 100 years old, and isn't showing any signs of failing any time soon. The three gorges dam is just over 15 years old and already showing signs of failure.