Xiaonanhai Dam total of 338 freshwater fish species have been identified on the Yangtze. 189 live in the area — currently a preservation — and many of those are found in no other river basin in China. An official study by the Yangtze River Commission in 2003 concluded that the Xiaonanhai dam could not be recommended due to its "unremarkable economic returns". According to "Chongqing Daily", project cost per-kilowatt is triple that compared with other projects along the Yangtze: with total investment estimated at ¥32 billion, the project will cost ¥16,000 per-kilowatt of capacity, whereas the Three Gorges dam, Xiluodu Dam and
Three Gorges ladder of the Chinese mainland—which form the Qutang Gorge (), the Wu Gorge (), and the Xiling Gorge () along the Yangtze River, which is where this area gets its name. The Three Gorges span from the western, upriver, cities of Fengjie and Yichang, in Chongqing Municipality, to the east, downstream, to Hubei province. The Three Gorges Reservoir Region is approximately in length, while the Three Gorges themselves occupy approximately within this region. The Three Gorges region has attracted global attention due to the Three Gorges Dam, which is changing the culture and environment of the region. Although it is