I agree, it seems to be a shame that there is no going back for the 3 gorges. I hope to make my 1st visit to China soon and would like to visit the 3 gorges section of the Yangtze. I have seen documentaries showing some of the irreplaceable treasures lost in the dam flooding, such as the ancient caves in the gorge cliffs. Downstream from the dams where 3 major cities draw their water from and discharge their waste into the Yangtze, water quality is expected to plummet.

The 3 gorges project would never have got up if China had any semblance of democracy. The hope is that the country can make the change into a stable and successful democracy soon.