On the ground, the reality is different. Critics argue that the dam is a folly from an environmental, technical and social point of view. Not a chance. For the Communist Party, the Three Gorges is a matter of political face, and nothing will be allowed to stand in its way. It calls, for instance, for the resettlement of some 1.2 million people, divided almost equally between rural and urban residents.
Officials insist the program is on schedule.
Critics say that the project is marred by widespread mismanagement, graft, falsification of relocation figures, inadequate planning and insufficient compensation. China's normally conservative Strategy and Management journal sees a crisis in the making. If resettlement problems continue to accumulate and intensify, when the water begins to flow, those not peacefully settled could turn into an explosive social problem. Then there is the issue of how well the water will flow. The Yangzi is considered among the world's most-silted rivers, and even government planners acknowledge that special measures will be needed to prevent excessive sedimentation building up at the dam base.