Tatar Strait Dam

kernals12

Banned
In the June 1956 issue of Popular Science, there was an article about 2 different Soviet proposals to use dams to change the earth's climate. One was to cross the Bering Strait and suck in warm water from the Atlantic through a giant nuclear power plant in order to melt the arctic o_O. Another one was to go across the Tatar Strait north of the Sea of Japan. They claimed it would raise the temperature in the Sea of Japan by 35 degrees. What would be the environmental consequences if this had been built?

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The Bearing Strait damn would require co-operation with the US that just isn’t going to happen even IF it seemed like a sound idea.

Of the two, the Tatar Strait proposal seems plausible (shorter distance, Soviets control both ends). I imagine construction would raise strong objections from Japan and South Korea. North Korea might benefit from warmer weather and therefore maybe better food production?? Wondering what the influence would be on regional weather (storms strengthening over the Sea of Japan) due to warmer temps maybe?
 
Cutting off the cold water intake from the north would, no doubt, raise the temperatures in the basin if only warm currents from the south made it into the (somewhat enclosed) area. Otherwise, we'd need a meteorology / climate specialist to guesstimate the results in broader scale.
 

kernals12

Banned
The Bearing Strait damn would require co-operation with the US that just isn’t going to happen even IF it seemed like a sound idea.

Of the two, the Tatar Strait proposal seems plausible (shorter distance, Soviets control both ends). I imagine construction would raise strong objections from Japan and South Korea. North Korea might benefit from warmer weather and therefore maybe better food production?? Wondering what the influence would be on regional weather (storms strengthening over the Sea of Japan) due to warmer temps maybe?
It probably would have a nasty effect on sea life and therefore the fishing industry.
 

trurle

Banned
Climate of Sakhalin and Hokkaido will definitely improve. More sunlight, more agricultural productivity. The biological productivity of the Sea of Japan will decrease - because of the reduced mixing.
 

kernals12

Banned
Climate of Sakhalin and Hokkaido will definitely improve. More sunlight, more agricultural productivity. The biological productivity of the Sea of Japan will decrease - because of the reduced mixing.
Also probably more severe typhoons and also that cold water current has to go somewhere if it's not going into the sea of Japan.
 

trurle

Banned
Also probably more severe typhoons and also that cold water current has to go somewhere if it's not going into the sea of Japan.
I do not think will be any noticeable effect on typhoons besides their slightly slower decay after they already crossed Japan. The condition in Sea of Japan, even with Strait of Tartary closed, are still not favorable for typhoon formation and sustenance, due to still cold waters and landmasses around.
 
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