There China has an established reputation for building impressive infrastructure works, including the Three Gorges Damlocated in Hubei province. This colossal hydroelectric project, the largest in the world, required 18 years to complete and started operating in 2012.
With an energy generation capacity of 22,500 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of over 39 billion cubic meters of waterthe Three Gorges Dam has become a symbol of modern Chinese engineering. However, the impact of this dam is not limited to energy production and flood regulation.
Scientific studies have now shown that the massive redistribution of water caused by the construction of the dam has influenced, albeit minimally, the earth rotation. The rotation of the planet was slowed by approximately 0.06 microsecondsan effect due to the fact that the mass of water displaced, approximately 39 billion cubic meters, is located at a height of 175 meters above sea level. This change has influenced the inertia of the planetcausing a slight variation in the length of the day.
It also moved the Earth’s pole by about two centimetres
In addition to the slowing of the Earth’s rotation, there has also been one displacement of the Earth’s pole by about two centimetres. Although these changes do not have significant effects on the daily lives of human beings, they represent a phenomenon of interest to the scientific community. In particular, extremely precise measuring instruments, such as atomic clocksmust be adjusted to account for these minute variations in day length.
This case represents an eloquent example of how large human infrastructure projects can influence the Planet at a geophysical level. Although the direct impact on the population is negligible, the scientific and engineering implications show the importance of consider the influence of large projects on the Earth system.
The Three Gorges Dam therefore serves as a reminder to reflect on the importance of a holistic approach to infrastructure planning and construction, taking into account not only economic and energy aspects, but also environmental and geophysical impacts long term. In fact, it is a priority to safeguard our planet, before any interest or profit.
