What do tigers, cannonballs, and grenades have in common?
Dams were once seen as extremely useful for the environment. Today, however, this is becoming less of a reality. These towering formations can cause serious problems, and it's important to be aware of some of these challenges. Your voice matters and could help change policies that are driving the momentum to build more.
Curious how dams impact the environment? Click through now.
Dams are thought to impact climate change and act as a feeding ground for methane-producing microbes. Greenhouse gases are released from reservoirs and contribute toward the acceleration of global warming.
Methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than CO2, is created when organic matter is trapped underwater in reservoirs. According to research, 1.3% of the world's yearly GHG emissions are caused by reservoirs.
Dams also interrupt the natural flow of rivers and, ultimately, impact the migration of aquatic species and their habits. As this happens, fish populations decline.
If fish are prevented from migrating and spawning due to dams, then entire food chains can be disturbed. Many species depend on free-flowing rivers in order to survive.
When sediments are trapped in dams, essential nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus can't reach downstream ecosystems, disrupting soil fertility, aquatic life, and oceanic carbon cycles.
The destruction of forests around reservoirs removes crucial carbon sinks that help mitigate climate change. A lack of vegetation can exacerbate carbon emissions.
In 2014, the collapse of a dam at Canada’s Mount Polley mine released 21 million cubic meters of mining sludge into Quesnel Lake, severely disrupting aquatic life and polluting one of British Columbia’s most important bodies of water.
The 2020 failure of the Edenville and Sanford dams in Michigan caused catastrophic flooding, forcing the evacuation of 10,000 people. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of aging dam infrastructure, especially in the face of extreme weather events.
Dams are often considered stable structures. However, failures occur at an alarming rate. When a dam is destroyed, it destroys communities, disrupts ecosystems, and makes society question if dams are worth the potential cost.
Hydropower dams release large amounts of greenhouse gases. Some think it's a clean energy source; however, the decaying organic matter in reservoirs undermines that claim.
While dams are meant to, and usually do, store large amounts of water, they also lead to massive evaporation losses. Every year, reservoirs worldwide lose about 170 cubic kilometers, or 7% of all freshwater used by humans.
Dams deprive downstream soils of essential minerals that are needed for agricultural purposes and can potentially threaten food security in certain regions.
Tailing dams are used to store toxic mining waste. However, they have a high failure rate. Even when intact, they allow toxic metals to leach into the environment through microbial action and acid drainage, contaminating soil, and water sources.
Dams built in seismic active regions, such as the Himalayas, add increased pressure to fault lines and can subsequently result in an increased earthquake risk.
Many freshwater creatures, such as Siberian cranes and Yangtze sturgeons, depend on uninterrupted river flow to survive.
Dams that are built on transboundary rivers can cause tensions between countries. With this setup, upstream nations control the flow of water, while downstream regions are subject to water shortages.
By 2030, 184 new dams are planned to be built along the Amazon River. This will continue to degrade the ecosystem there.
In the US and Europe, many older dams are being removed to help restore ecosystems. These dam removals have revived fish populations, improved water quality, and demonstrated the benefits of letting rivers flow without restriction.
When river ecosystems collapse, fish populations do also, which can impact millions of people.
While some economic benefits come from dams through hydropower and irrigation, they often aren't sustainable. In the long run, environmental and social damages outweigh everything else.
Though there is a great deal of evidence regarding dam-related issues, many developing countries are choosing to continue to invest in hydropower.
Developing nations, especially, should focus on actual sustainable alternatives such as wind and solar energy. These can provide electricity without significant environmental destruction.
Dams are sometimes promoted as flood control infrastructure. However, they can actually worsen when reservoirs overflow. If a dam is poorly managed, then it can also result in a flash flood and widespread problems.
It's important to enhance environmental polices in order to assess the long-term impacts of dams. Options such as decentralized water storage and rainwater harvesting might offer alternatives to dams.
Pressure from the public can influence policymakers to reevaluate projects involving dams. Individuals can help by signing petitions, reducing water consumption, and much more.
Restoring natural river flow and removing harmful dams can help with environmental conservation and support biodiversity.
Dams were once seen as impressive engineering feats however, negative consequences now outweigh their benefits. To combat climate change and protect ecosystems, countries must embrace sustainable energy and water management practices.
Sources: (American Rivers) (Earth.org) (Britannica)
The environmental impact of dams
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Dams were once seen as extremely useful for the environment. Today, however, this is becoming less of a reality. These towering formations can cause serious problems, and it's important to be aware of some of these challenges. Your voice matters and could help change policies that are driving the momentum to build more.
Curious how dams impact the environment? Click through now.