Silenced Rivers: The Ecology and Politics of Large DamsEntirely updated in the light of the recent World Commission on Dams Report, and responding to it, this new edition of Patrick McCully's now classic study shows why large dams have become such a controversial technology in both industrialized and developing countries. The book explains the history and politics of dam building worldwide and shows why large dams have become so controversial. It details the ecological and human impacts of large dams, and shows how the 'national interest' argument is used to legitimize uneconomic and unjust projects which benefit elites while impoverishing tens of millions, describes the technical, safety and economic problems of dam technology, the structure of the international dam-building industry, and the role played by international banks and aid agencies. |
From inside the book
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... reduce vulnerability through reducing water demand , rather than attempting to increase supply . The Century of the Small : Alternatives to Dams what do the opponents of dams propose to supply the needed water for urban and industrial ...
... reduce normal flooding , they also fragment ecosystems by isolating the river from its floodplain , turning what fish biologists term a ' floodplain river ' into a ' reservoir river ' . * The elimination of the benefits provided by ...
... reduce overall rates of illness . However , the larger dams are rarely built for domestic water supply , and when this is their aim , it is normally a minor part of the project – and a part which could be easily met with a smaller dam ...
Contents
Acknowledgements | viii |
Introduction to the Updated Edition | xv |
The Power and the Water | 1 |
Copyright | |
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