Photo: Three Gorges Dam

Boats wait to pass Three Gorges Dam on May 17 in Yichang of Hubei Province, China. The construction of the dam, set to become the world's largest hydroelectric power project, will be completed nine months ahead of schedule, on May 20. China's State Council has approved the raising of the dam's water level in the Three Gorges Reservoir to 156 meters (approximately 511.68 feet). About 80,000 people will be evacuated this year from areas to be flooded by rising waters behind the colossal dam. The evacuees are among the roughly 1.3 million being moved to make way for the project, according to state media.