Opportunities and eco-environmental influence of cascade hydropower development and water diversion projects in Hanjiang river basin

Hanjiang river is the longest river in Yangtze river basin, having high economic importance to China for its economically exploitable hydropower and potential water resources. In an attempt to satisfy China’s economic and social development needs, the Chinese government has established cascade dams and four relative water diversion projects in Hanjiang river, which aims at transferring water from south (Hanjiang river) to north (water-stricken areas). However, there are increasing eco-environmental concerns associated with the establishment and development of cascade hydropower. In this study, the opportunities and eco-environmental influences related to Hanjiang river’s cascade hydropower development are explored and then recommendations are put forward to minimize the potential impacts. The implementation of vigorous projects related to hydropower and water diversion has an important role to play in solving flood, energy and water shortage problems. In addition, the eco-environmental and socio-economic impacts on the middle and downstream and its diversion can be relieved to some degree in the area. However, the establishment of projects can cause several impacts on the local eco-environment. First, Danjiangkou reservoir construction can cause change in water flow, water bloom, soil erosion in the river basin. Second, it can directly lead to the decrease of 10.5 billion cubic meters of water in the middle- and downstream areas, threatening the local supply of drinking water and influencing farming irrigation and industrial production. Finally, the construction of cascade hydropower dams can change the water form and fish stocks may reduce threatening eco-environment security and environmental geology.