Bright spot

Shengli, which accounted for about two-fifths of the land submerged in the dam project, is in Daowai district, roughly 30 minutes by car from downtown Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province. Slightly more than half of the affected area belonged to the collective, with the rest owned by individuals.

Farmers used to plant soybeans and corn, as well as summer vegetables and edible fruit on better patches. "We could harvest 10,000 yuan worth of corn a year from 1 mu (0.06 hectares) of land," said villager Jiang Nianyou.

Out of the village's 5,000 residents, 4,008 lost land outside the new embankment, causing a loss in annual revenue totaling 10 million yuan or more.

There was one bright spot since the land dotted with poplars and willows was swamped, however. Now it is filled with reeds and has fish in abundance. At least 150 families now make a living from fishing.

According to village head Yang, a couple with a fishing boat can make 100,000 yuan in a good year and half that in a not-so-good one. That beats farming 1 hectare, he said.

Yet, to fish, villagers must obtain a permit, which is hard to come by due to environmental concerns. Even people with permits can go fishing for only a limited time. "I have to get up at midnight and wait for my turn," said 62-year-old Jiang.

Most able-bodied villagers left in search of better prospects, with some even going overseas. Those who remained were mostly unfit for life as migrant workers, and many had to mortgage their homes and subsist on loans.