China Destroys Hundreds of Small Dams to Revive River Ecosystems

In a landmark ecological move, China has dismantled or decommissioned hundreds of small dams and hydropower stations along the Chishui He—commonly known as the Red River—marking one of the largest river restoration efforts in the country's modern history.

- TDG NETWORK

This tributary of the Yangtze River, which winds through Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces, was once heavily dammed for electricity production. Now, authorities have torn down 300 of 357 dams and decommissioned 342 out of 373 hydropower stations in an effort to repair decades of environmental damage.

WHY DID CHINA DO THIS?

For decades, China aggressively built dams to fuel rapid development, using hydropower to electrify rural areas and meet growing energy demands. But in doing so, it severely disrupted aquatic ecosystems. The Red River, one of the Yangtze's key tributaries, became fragmented—blocking fish migration, draining riverbeds, and degrading spawning grounds vital for aquatic biodiversity.