Many enthused about dams, but it is a false belief

M

any in Australia see man-made dams as the solution to the nation’s water scarcity problems.

The simplistic view wants us to trap and store the massive downpours that are becoming more common because of global warming and then use that water as we go about enduring the inevitable droughts.

Such views take no account of the damage such dams cause to the local environment. the flora and fauna, and not to mention people who live in the area, the significant and devastating overall changes they make to the river systems on which they are inevitably built and, of course, the accompanying silting or the dams that can, and does lead to their ultimate ineffectiveness and failure.

Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) reports that the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in Brazil is flouting agreements to protect indigenous communities as its builder seeks approval to start generating power, environmental lawyers have warned.

The US$11 billion dam on an Amazonian tributary – set to be the third-largest producer of hydropower globally – has met just 30% of the social and environmental conditions set by government, said AIDA Americas.

Read the RTCC story - “Brazil mega-dam ‘disaster’ for tribes as it nears completion”.