The Three Gorges on the Yangtze River will remain one of the most spectacular gorge scenes in the world despite the damming of the river, according to a Chinese specialist.

Although the water level of the Three Gorges section will rise around 100 meters once the Three Gorges Reservoir is filled with water, the gorges will retain a magnificent height of nearly 1,000 meters above the water, said Professor Li Jiangfeng, who heads the Institute of Land and Resources Management of the China University of Geosciences.

Besides, the width of the river in the 201-km-long Three Gorges section will not increase by much, he said.

"These features make the Three Gorges one of the world's outstanding gorge scenes," said Li.

The Three Gorges project, which consists of a reservoir and power generating units, is designed for flood-control, power generation and navigation purposes. Construction began in 1993 and is expected to be completed in 2009.

The Three Gorges is one of China's most famous scenic spots. Yichang of Hubei Province, where the Three Gorges project is located, received 7.1 million tourists in 2001, including 230,000 from abroad.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2003)