Dam(n) Problems!

From space, Lake Turkana appears as a jade jewel in the desert. The lake supports unique biological diversity, and is threatened by the Gibe III hydropower dam, which will permanently alter the lake’s ecology and hydrology. Satellite imagery can provide us with a unique perspective for monitoring changes in the lake’s water quality. Satellite observations have shown that the lake is at its most productive following the annual flooding of the Omo River. The Gibe III dam will dampen these flood events and therefore poses a great risk to fisheries on which local communities depend.

Whether it’s the Gibe III dam in Ethiopia or the Three Gorges dam in China, dams have both benefits and negative impacts to both humans and ecosystems. This talk will discuss the socio-economic and political implications of dam building, placing the local impacts in a global and regional context of agricultural development, energy trade and economic growth. Rather than discussing dams simply as a matter of positive/negative impacts, Naho Mirumachi will discuss how we can better learn lessons of dam development.