To Dam Or Not To Dam: An Insight Into The Environmental Politics Of Rivers

In today's highly charged climate of environmental politics, decisions about building dams are extremely hard to make.Simply put, those who have the authority to make such decisions are damned if they dam and are also damned if they don't!There is no easy answer to many of the questions related to dam construction.No matter what the advantages of damming a river are, there are always some disadvantages that can derail the project.Dams may be built to achieve one or more of several goals such as reducing or eliminating the hazard of floods, regulating water flow in a turbulent river, storing water for drinking or irrigation purposes, generating hydropower, creating an artificial lake for recreational activities, or establishing a new habitat for fish, birds, and animals.Historically, dam building has always been controversial.Currently, arguing about building a new dam and studying its impact can take years.Dam construction is impacted by technical, political, economical, environmental, and cultural factors.The construction of a new dam may also result in the displacement of thousands of people and in a change in their lifestyle.This could be a depressing experience for those who cannot smoothly adjust.A new course has been developed to explore all of the above issues.China's Three Gorges Dam is used as a case study due to its mammoth size and enormous impact.Students are offered views of the pros and cons of each of the above factors.They are asked to examine the issues carefully, and to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of dam construction.Students are expected to make a case to dam or not to dam based on the evidence presented.The course teaches and promotes an educated and informed approach to decision making.Students will recognize that real world problems are never black and white and appreciate the need to judiciously weigh factors that fall within a gray zone.