170 Protec ting Watersheds
Dams cause problems upstream and downstream
First, dams create problems for people who live upstream from where the river
is or will be blocked.
Displacement and poverty
People are displaced by dams and forced to migrate. Many end up living on
poor land or in urban slums. Displaced people may be promised money or land.
But often money is not handed over by local officials. Many times, only people
with legal title to land that will be flooded by the dam receive money or other
land. Sometimes, the replacement land is too poor to farm.
Towns that will be flooded by a dam do not receive government funds
for upkeep and development, so schools, roads, and health services fall into
neglect. Some towns remain like this for many years before they are flooded.
Dams builders are oppressed. They often
have unsafe work conditions, poor housing,
bad food, and little access to health care.
These conditions promote illnesses such as
TB and HIV. After a dam is built, they must
find another place to live and work.
Dams destroy communities. Families living
in the reservoir area lose their homes, lands,
and livelihoods. Displaced people are often
not resettled together. People are usually
poorer after they move.
Reservoirs are often polluted. Pesticides, fertilizers, and
industrial wastes may collect in the water, making it toxic.
Reservoirs create other health problems.
Diseases such as malaria and blood flukes
increase when reservoirs breed mosquitoes
and other disease-carrying insects.
Dams kill fish and destroy fisheries. Changes in the
flow and quality of rivers can destroy fish. People
who depend on fish for food and income suffer.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012