Damming the Angry River

With the rise of global warming, China, and nations around the world, are desperately seeking renewable energy sources. One solution for a developing country like China, is the creation of hydropower plants in water-rich regions, like Yunnan and Sichuan provinces.The Three Gorges Dam has become a controversial poster child hydroelectric power, triggering concerns about greater geological instability and how those resettled will be compensated. 

The Nu River, also known as the Salween, has also garnered international attention. The Yunnan provincial government has proposed a cascade of thirteen dams, truncating the last remaining free flowing river. This has again, sparked controversy because it requires relocating large numbers of ethnic-minorities along the river. This film is a quick review of the river’s recent fate.

A short film courtesy of Zhou Xiaoli and Brent Huffman. See German Camera Production for their contact info.

Produced by Zhou Xiaoli, Brent Huffman

Originally published on April 22, 2009

One Response to “Damming the Angry River”

  1. A Return to the Nu River - The China Blog - TIME.com Says:
    May 5th, 2009 at 3:50 am

    [...] the river would continue its unobstructed run to the Indian Ocean. (See my previous story, and this short documentary on the Asia Society’s China Green [...]

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