Water

Dams and Development E-Paper Contents

p. 3 of 74 BACK | NEXT Home Page of Dams and Development Foreword I. Why an e-paper on dams and development? Why are dams controversial? What is the e-paper about? Who is the target audience? What is the definition of a large dam? Why did ADB commission the e-paper? How can ADB staff use the e-paper? II. Assessing options III. Participatory processes IV. Social impacts V. Environmental impacts VI. Benefit distribution VII. Dam safety and sustainability VIII. Existing projects IX. Improving governance X. What other organizations say XI. ADB, Dams, and Development XII. References Contact Us

I. Why an e-paper on dams and development?

Dams continue to be one of the most controversial topics in the water sector.

They provide much needed services for water supply, irrigation, electricity generation and flood management. And proposals for new dam projects will inevitably emerge as countries strive to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

Yet, experience from past dam projects has also highlighted adverse social, environmental, technical and financial impacts. Many lessons have been learnt including the need to examine alternatives at an early stage and, if a dam is the best option, how to optimize it as a development project.

Considerable information has been generated about dam projects in the past decade and this paper provides a window onto some of this experience and current thinking.

This e-paper aims to:

• make information more accessible within and outside ADB
• generate informed discussion on the challenges facing future projects
• provide a resource document for the review of ADB's Water Policy implementation in 2005

More details about this paper can be found on these pages:

• Why are dams controversial?
• What is the e-paper about?
• Who is the target audience?
• What is the definition of a large dam?
• Why did ADB commission the e-paper?
• How can staff use the e-paper?

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