Photo: Water in Dams, Reservoirs Preventing Sea-Level Rise

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Water gushes from sluice gates in China's massive Three Gorges Dam on September 9, 2004.

Water tied up in dams and reservoirs around the world—not accounted for in previous estimates of global warming impacts—has kept sea levels from rising about 1.2 inches (3 centimeters), a new estimate says.

Photograph by Reuters/China Photos

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