The 192-kilometer Three Gorges section along the Yangtze River is well-known across the world for its magnificent natural scenery and rich cultural and historic relics. After construction of the reservoir is completed, due to the rise of water level, the dangerous shoals will be submerged and rapid currents disappear, the narrowness typical of the gorges will be reduced. However, the elevation of the peaks along the Three Gorges section is between 800and 1000 meters, whereas the maximum impounded level of the reservoir is only 175 meters, therefore, the natural scenery along this section will generally remain unchanged. To the contrary, due to the improvement of navigability, additional scenic spots along the branch streams of the Three Gorges section have been developed, such as the Shennongjia, Shengnong Brook in Badong County and the Jiuwan Brook. Together with the magnificent architectural complex of the Three Gorges Project, they add new scenes along the Three Gorges Tourists' route.

Establish the nature reserve to protect the biodiversity that was impacted by the Project. For plants influenced by the reservoir area, carry out protective biological researches such as relocation and breeding; 30 rare plant species and 73 predominant plant species in the reservoir area have been relocated. For many years, efforts have been made for the protection and research of rare local fish species such as Chinese sturgeon; by the end of 2003, about 5 million baby Chinese sturgeons have been planted in the Yangtze River and the survival rate reaches approx.. 1%. In recent years, it is found that most Chinese sturgeons lay their eggs in the flood gate area of the Gezhouba Dam, the deep water area and the deep channel along the left bank of Yangtze River's Yichang section; it indicates that the Chinese sturgeons have adapted themselves to the environment and find their new natural breeding locations. The most effective way to protect bio-diversity is to establish nature reserve, which protects both the species and their habitats. To support the construction of the Three Gorges Project, a group of land and water nature reserves have been established by the national government, providing effective protection to the terrestrial and aquatic life that is influenced by the Project.

Make greater efforts to prevent water pollution. In Aug 2001, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area Water Pollution Prevention Leadership Group led by the National Environment Protection Administration was established with the approval form the State council and the Three Gorges Reservoir Area Water Pollution Prevention Plan was issued. The national government has made investments amounting to 39,200 million RMB on water pollution prevention and treatment in the Three Gorges reservoir area and upstream, enabling the quality of water in the Three Gorges reservoir area and upstream to meet the National Surface Water Environment Grade 3 standards in 2010. At present, 26 waste liquid treatment plants and 21 garbage treatment yards have been built and put into operation in the reservoir area as planned. The water quality of the trunk stream in the reservoir area is generally maintained at grade 2 and 3, basically no change happened compared with that before impoundment.

The national government gives the reservoir area preferential policy and capital support for the protection forest plantation and water and soil conservation works along the min-and up-stream of the Yangtze River. In rural migrants resettlement, the sustainable development strategy is adopted; the environment's capacity to receive migrants shall be expanded to avoid new water and soil erosion; trial and promotion of high-efficiency ecological agriculture adapted to the local conditions have been started.

Since some sections of the Three Gorges reservoir's bank have hidden geologic hazards, the relevant authority of the national government issued the Overall Plan for the Prevention and Relief of Geologic Hazards in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, which provides that engineering efforts or relocation measures shall be taken for landslip and bank slump; in the building of new migrants' towns and special facilities such as roads, engineering measures shall be taken for high-elevation cutting edges and deep foundations; Deep foundation shall be laid for the buildings in the new resettlement area to ensure safety of the buildings.

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