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Is there a Future for Dams?

Presented By: Elizabeth Monosowski from the World Bank

Date: May 18, 2000

Summary: The rate of dam construction is falling because the best sites are already explored, there is a cost of environmental and social impact, and their construction creates political opposition. The presentation discusses the future of dams. Despite their costs, they may still be necessary for irrigation, water storage, flood control and hydropower. There are other relevant issues, such as dams and climate change. Higher temperatures will cause more lake evaporation and an intensification of the hydrological cycle. Increased floods and droughts will require streamflow regulation. Yet, extreme rainfall can jeopardize a dam’s safety. In order to approach these challenges, it is necessary to take into account greater uncertainty in dam design and planning, properly manage the existing dams, and extend the useful life of existing dams.

Comments: This is an interesting topic and could be discussed in reference to the Report of the World Commission on Dams, released in November 2000. Focus could be given to the use/lack of use of dams in Latin America. There is also on file an article about the rejection of the Hidrovia Dam project in South America on the Paraguay-Parana river system. Short minutes of the presentation and the power point slides are on file. These provide only a skeleton of the presentation as described in the summary above.

 

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