Hydropower Dam Flounders As Chinese County Grapples With Climate, Erosion

[hatrack]

Beijing, Sept. 23. (PTI): "Madoi, a picturesque county in western China, has emerged as the worst example of the effect of global warming and environmental degradation as the tiny hamlet has not received power for the last eight months due to depletion of water level.

The Tibetan-dominated county in Qinghai province, home to nearly 11,000 people, is in darkness because the local hydropower station could not generate electricity following a sharp decline in water level, a media report said today.

At the major reservoir, the water level is already 3.78 metres lower than the turbines, Xinhua news agency reported. "We have no electricity and have not recieved even a single drop of water from the tap water system since it was opened in my house," Dorji, a Tibetan resident said.

Madoi is not known for water scarcity. In local Tibetan language, 'Madoi' means "headwater of the Yellow River", and the region once had more than 4,000 lakes.

EDIT

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200409231355.htm

[Boomer]

1. The high cost of beef

"Local officials believe the current situation in Madoi is the result of a chain of events stemming from global warming, over-grazing and desertification.

One cause may be Madoi's booming livestock industry, they said.

The hamlet owns nearly 8,00,000 cattle within an area of about 2,500 square kilometres, according to the county's official statistics."

Western US states take note....

[NNadir]

2. The depletion of high altitude water (read: glaciers) is one of the most

overlooked consequences of global climate change.