Changes of the Three Gorges scenery when the Three Gorges Project finishesSince 1997 the dam was under construction, the Three Gorges Project and cruise are more and more focused to the all over the world. The three gorges water control conservancy project which called the Three Gorges Project for short, are constituted of three parts: dam, workshop and the building for navigation. According to the construction plan of the project, there are three parts of the working period and the whole project has to last for 17 years. According to the process of conducting water, the water conservancy has been divided into four stages:

First Stage: From November of 1997 to October of 2002, symbolized by the blocking of the river, constructed the diverging channel based on Zhongbao islet to channel off the water. The water level has risen 10 meters, not affecting the tour on Yangtze at all.

Second Stage: From October of 2002 to June of 2003. By June 2003, water level will be saved as high as 135 meters on altitude. The water affects the area even as far as to Wanxian City, submerging the Zhangfei Temple, while the dangerous rocks and shoals to boats will be in lower location in water and there will be no peril any more.

Third Stage: From June of 2003 to September of 2006. The water level will be 150 meters above sea level. In the years, there is almost no change of the scenery but only the rising of the water level.

Fourth Stage: By the year of 2009 with the water level will reaching 175 meters high on altitude. Each year, the change of water level in the reservoir is bounded within 30 meters.

After the completion of the Dam in 2009 there are a few changes of the natural tributaries condition in the Yangtze River, but the Three Gorges Reservoir only conserve 39.3 billion cubic meters of water, which is only the 8.7% of the water from the natural sources in a year, for that sack after the Dam conserving water, the amount of water flowing in the tributaries will still remain its previous condition. When the water level reaches the height of 175 meters in front of the Dam in 2009 there will be a Gorges -Shaped Dam that is of the size of 1100 square kilometers above the water surface and of the length of 650 kilometers from Yichang Sangdou Ping to Chongqing .In that Reservoir the average depth of it will be increased by 10-100 meters. Compared with the cliffs that are several hundred and oven several thousand meters high, the primitive features of the Three Gorges will still show its splendid appearance to the tourists. There is no effect on its inherent characteristics such as magnificent, precipitous, fantastic and peaceful.

Although there are many historical sites submerged under water, the structure of the natural spots such as "No change of the Goddess", "magnificent Qutang Gorge, peaceful Wu Gorge, beautiful Xiling Gorge " Will not change .The tourists will be so enchanted by the splendid scenery of the Three Gorges Dam, such as Shenlong Stream in Badong, Fengjie, Wu Stream and the golden triangle in Mt. Wu Tour Region. What's more, the high Mountain Grassland of Red pool Dam in The deep Dangning River, Shuangxi Valley and Xiaping Valley, Furong River in Fuling and Furong valley, Tianhang and Difeng in Fengjie will show their new appearances before the visitors. According to the experts forecasting there will be 37 Gorges and drifting current, 15 valleys, 11 lakes and 14 islands after the water conservancy in the Three Gorges Reservoir. The water will go to the waist of the Mt. Baidisan, so the Baidi city and the Shibao Village will turn into Baidi Island and Shibao Island in the Lake of Baidi and Shibao. The Ghost Town Fengdu will become a semi-island in the water from three directions and there will be a grand dike with the width of 25 meters and the height of 30 meters at the foot of the Mt. Mingshan. The feature of the Lesser Three Gorges will be obviously seen by tourists after the water level rises. Moreover the tourists will see more scenic spots inside the Lesser Three Gorges all year long. In the future the size of the cruise ship will be much larger than now, therefore the ship will be more comfortable and smooth for tourists to enjoy themselves. At that time the center part of the tourism along the Yangtze River will have some changes tines. Maybe tourists will not worry about the good and bad aspects upstream and downstream, and cruise companies will not apply two prices for it. The golden tour region centered by the Three Gorges Dam will become a splendid and beautiful pearl in the Yangtze River Tourism.

The establishment of the Three Gorges Dam won't affect the scenery along this region too much. The natural gallery with handsome mountains and beautiful peaks, peaceful gorges, magnificent cliffs and the colorful picture scroll with high gorges, and mild lakes, green waves and fresh plants make the famous Three Gorges tour show its attractive appearance to the tourists all over the would forever and more charming as the time goes by. We have seen the scenery along the Three Gorges today as beautiful as a picture and we will see a much more beautiful picture in the Three Gorges Region after the Dam have been built up in the future.