172 Protec ting Watersheds
Alternatives to large dams
When there are plans to build a
dam, the first question to ask is: Is it
necessary? Dams are built for flood
control, electricity, irrigation, and
to provide water to growing cities.
These services could be provided
in less harmful ways.
But where is
my water?
… for someone else.
… for someone else.
… for someone else.
The second question to ask is: Who is going to benefit? Around the world,
communities that would be harmed have resisted big dams and proposed
alternatives. In many cases, they are succeeding.
Flood control. If possible, avoid building in natural floodplains and wetlands.
Improve warning systems to help people prepare for floods. Preserving the
natural flow of rivers can prevent floods more effectively than damming them.
Electricity. Encourage governments and developers to promote wind, solar, or
small-scale water power that generates electricity close to where it will be used.
Locally managed and controlled energy is more sustainable for people in cities
and towns, as well as in rural areas (see Chapter 23).
Irrigation. Local development provides better water security than large dams.
In the state of Gujarat in India, thousands of small check dams (see page 293)
have been built to collect rainwater for use in the dry season and to replenish
the groundwater. The government and villagers share the cost of the check
dams. Many villages that once had water to irrigate fields for
only half the year, now have water all year round.
If a dam is proposed or built in your watershed
Communities worldwide have been
resisting new dams, working to
have old ones taken down, and
demanding compensation in both
money and land for harm they
have suffered from dams. Some
communities also demand
changes in the ways
dams are controlled, to
help rivers flow more
naturally and reduce
the harm dams have
caused. (For more
information,
see Resources.)
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012