Dams and Human Development: Changing Societal Perceptions

Societal perceptions on any issue change with time. Thus, it is no surprise that the overall attitudes and perceptions of the contributions of large dams to human development over the past 100 years have changed significantly, at national and international levels.

Asit K. Biswas and Cecilia Tortajada, 2018, Hydropower & Dams Journal, pages 8-9

Media

Taxonomy

• Hydrography
• Infrastructure
• Dams
• Social Hydrology
• Hydro Power

1 Comment

1. It is a very interesting article  in favour of Large dams when across the Globe large dams are not supported by environmentalists for a number of reasons. Being in India we are facing these debates regularly, particularly the debates around Sardar Sarovar Dam and other Dams on Narmada. 

   In the article no facts or examples given related to the environmental activist "propaganda" against the Big Dam nor the facts related to large Dam benefits has been cited critically. In India if we look at the first World Bank project DVC then we notice that World Bank in their in their 2005 report 'India's water economy' clearly mentioned that DVC has failed as a Water Management institution. At present the DVC dams are causing more problem with flood in every monsoon to the downstream with the reduction of reservoirs capacity by siltation but the cost of removal of reservoir silts become prohibitively high. It is true that this failure is largely because of mismanagement and poor implementation. But once it is established and failed like many previously built large Dams it has become a huge burden.

   Still it is worthwhile if it solves the large water crisis in the long run. And if it is so it has to be proved otherwise the environmentalists view will be proved correct. In March 2018 The water level of 91 major reservoirs across India is at 36 % of total live storage capacity.

   In US where large number of dams are  getting removed on regular basis now (https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/11/dam-removal-nelson-dam-matiliha-rogue-river-hewlett-foundation-open-rivers/) in this context developing countries need to clearly assess their water strategy with pragmatism than blindly following any country. In terms of Large Dam capacity India is one of the highest still per capita water conservation is very low and the whole country is reeling under severe Groundwater depletion. More facts with clear comparisan in article like this will help many developing countries across the Globe to take decission .