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Balon, E. K. (1978). Kariba: The dubious benefits of large dams. Ambio. 7:40- 48.
The ecological consequences of dam building extend far beyond the common cost- benefit analysis. On the Zambezi River for example, a unique and stable ecological system, which took millenia to develop, was rapidly changed by dams into less productive lakes. The process was accompanied by widespread destruction and misery. The production of the electricity required for a more profitable export of mineral resources rendered the local inhabitants dependent on external sources of food, water, etc, where they had formerly been self- sufficient. The surface of the lake reflects more solar energy than the old terrestrial system. As a consequence, fish production is lower than the lost production of plants and game. Species diversity may be increased by natural invasion and artificial introduction, but the production limits of the system can not be changed.
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://umesc.usgs.gov/data_library/fisheries/fish_passage/balon.html
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