E1782 v.5 ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT Public Disclosure Authorized Executive Summary JIANGXI SHIHUTANG NAVIGATION AND HYDROPOWER COMPLEX PROJECT ON THE GAN RIVER Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Prepared by CCCC SECOND HARBOR CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. JIANGXI PROVINCIAL WATER RESOURCE PLANNING AND DESIGN INSTITUTE Public Disclosure Authorized February 2008 Jiangxi Administration of Navigation Affairs (JANA) JIANGXI SHIHUTANG NAVIGATION AND HYDROPOWER COMPLEX PROJECT ON THE GAN RIVER ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT Executive Summary Background This document summarizes the environment impact assessment of the WB financed project – Jiangxi Shihutang Navigation and Hydropower Complex Project at the Gan River, highlighting the main issues and conclusions of the environment impact assessment and environment management plan of the project. The Executive Summary is based on the following reports: (i) Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EA); (ii) Environmental Management Plan for Flood Control Areas; and (iii) Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for Navigation/Hydro Complex. These reports were submitted to the Jiangxi Administration of Navigational Affairs (JANA) of the Jiangxi Provincial Communications Department (JPCD) for detailed review and are available to interested parties in their offices and provincial environmental offices. The EA reports and EMPs were submitted to the World Bank for review and they conform fully to Bank policy guidelines regarding environmental and social issues. All above reports have been made available in the Public Information Center (INFOSHOP) of the World Bank. The JANA cleared this summary for submission to the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank. Project Objectives When completed, the proposed project would have (i) canalized 38km long waterway, upgrading a stretch of waterway of the Gan River to further extend Grade III navigability to upstream stretches of the river, and to finally reach the planned waterway objective; and (ii) constructed the Shihutang hydropower station that will participate in peak regulation of the Jiangxi power grid together with the upstream Wan’an hydropower station, and thus play an important role in lessening power shortage and improving the energy structure of the Jiangxi Province. The Jiangxi Gan River Drainage Area Planning Report approved by the Chinese Government recommends two trunk stream cascade development plans I and V through analysis of flood control and protection, hydropower generation, navigation, integrated water resources management, and port construction. Plan V is a ten-step development plan (Xiashan Low Elevation Plan), starting from upstream to downstream with Bai’e, Baikoutang, Xiashan, Maodian, Wan’an (built in 1993, 82 km upstream of Shihutang), Taihe, Shihutang, Xiajiang, Yongtai and Longtoushan. The planned and preliminarily selected projects that will be implemented in the near future are the three project sites of Taihe, Shihutang and Xiajiang. The Gan River is the main tributary at the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and it is one of the key passages for shipping of the Jiangxi Province and has been listed in the state high-rank waterway network. As per the “Approval of Technical Grade of Inland River Waterway” (Document No. [1998]659) issued by the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Water Conservancy and the 1 State Trade and Economic Relation Commission in 1998, the 525km long section of the Gan River (Ganzhou to Wucheng) is denominated as a Grade III inland waterway. 160 Wan’an 150 128 (Built in 117 Shihutang 106 100 100 69 58 50 50 34 26 Environmental Assessment Process and Legal Framework Perhaps the most environmentally and socially sensitive component of the proposed project will be the construction and operation of a dual objective low head dam on the Gan river for both navigation and hydropower generation. A full Environmental Assessment (EA) was carried out following terms of reference agreed with the World Bank. The terms of reference were discussed in public meetings. The project triggered the following World Bank policies: Environmental Assessment (OP/BP/GP4.01; Natural Habitats (OP/BP4.04); Safety of Dams (OP/BP4.37); Involuntary Resettlement (OP4.12); and Physical Cultural Resources (OP4.11). The project is in full compliance with environmental policies and regulations in China such as Environmental Protection Law of PRC1989.12 and Environment Impact Assessment Law of PRC 2002.10; Water Pollution Prevention Law of PRC1996.5Wild Animals Protection Law of PRC (1988.11Cultural Relic Protection Law of PRC2002.11and Fishery Law of PRC2000.10 etc. The EA Report was approved by China State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) in January 2008. Project Description The Project is located between the Ji’an City and Taihe County in the middle reaches of the Gan River. The dam will be situated on the Gan River near the Shihutang Village, 26km downstream from the Taihe County Road Bridge. This will be a multipurpose project, with navigation as the main purpose, but providing additional benefits such as power generation and flood control. Main characteristics of the project are presented in the following table. Normal water level 56.5/57.0 m Normal reservoir storage 281mil. m3 Regulation storage 8.47 mil. m3 Regulation feature Daily regulation Reservoir area 39.36 km2 Backwater length 38 km Hydro capacity 120 MW Nominal water head 5.35 m (max. 9.80m, min. 3.60m) 2 Max. dam height 26.5 m Land acquisition 6.15 km2 Transmission line 18 km Environmental Setting Hydrology. Gan River basin falls within the moist subtropical belt, with abundant rainfall (average annual rainfall of 1300-1800mm), but rainfall is severely uneven in seasons. Rainfall from April to June makes up between 41 and 51% of the precipitation for the whole year. There are frequent rainstorms in the basin. Storms fall mainly between April and September, while from May to June rain falls mainly in frontal rain patterns, which makes cloudbursts more frequent. From July to September rainstorms are caused mainly by typhoons. Gan River is a flood storm river; therefore the flood season is coincident with the storm season. April is the start of the flood season there is flood in the basin, but without much peak discharges in that month. May to June, but especially in June, is the main flood season, when large-scale floods are caused by heavy storms. Typhoons are common from July to Sept, causing medium-scale floods. Water Quality. Although there are some raw sewage discharges into the Gan River, the river has good waste assimilation capacity. Therefore, existing records indicate that the water quality of the Gan River section where the project is located meets Chinese Grade II~Grade III water quality standards. Overall water quality is good as a whole. Ecology. The Shihutang project area is comprised mainly of flat plains and low hilly areas, with secondary and artificial vegetation. There are no national grade protected wild plants and famous trees within the area of influence of the project. There are 11 species of provincial grade protected plants within the broader area of influence of the project. Field investigations identified altogether 215 old trees (under special protection in China) in the project area that conform an Old Trees Community Nature Reserve in Jintan. There are 26 species of birds, classified into 8 families and 17 genera. Passerine are the largest in quantity, 34.62% of all. There is no bird under state protection. There are 7 orders, 7 families and 7 genera of mammals in the Shihutang Project district, none under state protection. Rodents are the largest in numbers and species in this area. No protected animals or fish species have been identified in the area of influence of the project. There are 20 species under province-level protection in Jiangxi Province, widely scattered in quantity throughout the Shihutang Project district. Two fish spawning sites - Taihe Spawning Site and Yanxidu Spawning Site – were reported several decades ago the project area. The main spawning fishes of these two sites are mandarin fish, grass carp, snail carp, silver xenocypris, Elopichthys bambusa, bream fish, Xenocypris argentea, and H.maculatus Bleeker. Although migratory species were identified in the 1980’s they have practically disappeared from this stretch of the river. Cultural Relics and Historic Sites. No cultural property sites of national importance will be affected by the project. Field research findings carried out during the EA identified one ancient ferry site and an old town site in the inundation area of the reservoir. However, the Huangkeng Ancient Ferry does not belong to any cultural relics protected unit of different grades. These sites show no remaining physical evidence but remain in local memory and records. In addition, two ancient city sites, a Gouzi pagoda and an Ouyang Ancestral Hall were found in the vicinity of the inundation area but at a considerable 3 distance from the inundation area. Further refinement of dike alignment during preliminary designs has avoided flooding to impact any cultural resource sites. Socio- Economic Situation. Ji’an has a jurisdiction over 2 cities and 11 counties, 218km in length from east to west and about 208km in width from north to south. In 2004 its GDP totaled 24.265 billion Yuan, rising by 14.5%, more than 0.5 % more than last year, the highest rate in the last 9 years. The area of the project is mostly occupied by farmlands. Road infrastructure is quite extensive in the area of the project. No new road access is needed for the construction of the dam. Sensitive Sites. All sensitive sites in and around the project site (dam and reservoir, canals) were identified, analyzed, and registered in maps such as the one presented below. Sensitive Sites Villages/School Fish spawning site Cultural site Water intake Sewage discharge Old tree reserve Analysis of Alternatives The project has been subject to intense analysis of alternative options ranging from the project-no project scenarios, dam sites, to specific alignment of dikes, screens, and drainage canals.