ABSTRACT
The Three Gorges Water Conservancy Project (TOP) is a colossal project that has caused public concern in China and attracted global attention in recent years. The Central Committee and the State Council have followed a positive and yet extremely prudent approach toward the final approval of the project. They have clearly stated that an updated report on the feasibility of the project should be prepared on the basis of detailed investigation and assessment. In the report, the assessment of ecological and environmental impacts is one of the most important components. Indeed, recent investigations conducted by the Bureau of Water Resources Protection, Changjiang River, and its associated research institute have been concerned with such major research topics as the selection of the normal water storage level for the reservoir and its impact on the ecological environment.
