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ForewordMention the word 'dams' and strong emotions are likely to emerge - both for and against them. Yet, dams are not a technology that can be ignored. They have provided and continue to provide much needed services - water, electricity, agriculture and flood management. At the same time, we are keenly aware of the associated social and environmental impacts that need to be addressed and mitigated. In some cases, alternative solutions may be better suited to meet development needs. Development challenges remain intense. Although the incidence of poverty reduced from 30% in 1990 to 22% by 2000, the population of the Asia and Pacific Region is growing at an annual rate of 1.2% with some countries exceeding 4%. Approximately 700 million people lack access to improved drinking water supplies and clearly much more is needed to overcome this shortfall in both urban and rural areas. Economies are growing dramatically at rates of up to 10% with demand for electricity exceeding 15% in places. Climate change is focussing our minds on renewable sources of energy and energy conservation measures. Dams will inevitably be one of the many means to address such development challenges. From 1970 to mid-2005, ADB provided financial support to about 65 projects with dams, either directly to the construction of the dam itself or to associated infrastructure. ADB recognizes the complex nature of issues surrounding dam projects as well as the opportunities and risks they present. Together with our development partners we continue to monitor and evaluate our experience and learn lessons for future implementation. Over the past five years, ADB has participated in a number of reviews and discussions and these are referenced in the e-paper. In addition to our standard procedures, we sponsored an independent evaluation study of four dam projects in the Asia region as a submission to the World Commission on Dams (WCD) and financed regional meetings on dams and development in Hanoi in 2000 and in Manila in 2001. We are also active members of the Forum of UNEP's Dams and Development Project (DDP). In considering new projects, we look at each proposal on its merits within the framework of ADB's policies. New concepts are being incorporated into planning processes, for example sharing benefits with the affected communities, introducing financing mechanisms for environmental protection and assessing cumulative impacts. Our Water Policy provides a framework of integrated water resources management within which individual projects are assessed. Ensuring meaningful consultation is also of paramount importance. In planning processes, we actively engage with affected people and wider civil society to improve the effectiveness, quality, and sustainability of our operations. Much new insight on technical, social and environmental aspects of dam projects is available from a wide range of sources - governments, professional associations, international organizations, academic institutions, NGOs, multilateral development banks and multi-stakeholder processes such as WCD and DDP. Yet, even though the Internet provides a vehicle to access such information, there is often a gap in knowing what is available and where to find it. The result is that our awareness of much of this work remains limited. Based on our engagement in the dams debate, we saw a need to provide a tool to organize and access such information. This e-paper in the Water for All publication series is a first step to responding to that need. It provides extracts and links to guidance documents, analysis, research, and regulations that can be used in the planning and development of future projects. It is intended as a means of accessing information with interpretation wholly the responsibility of the end-user. Inclusion of a particular document or link in the e-paper does not represent an endorsement by ADB - it remains up to policy-makers, planners and other stakeholders to decide on the utility of the material within their own specific context. What we do endorse however is a development process where new ideas are considered, evaluated and, where considered appropriate, are incorporated. This e-paper is published within ADB's Knowledge Management Framework that promotes two mutually supportive outcomes: (i) increased assimilation of and dissemination by ADB of relevant and high-quality knowledge to DMCs and other stakeholders, and (ii) enhanced learning-knowledge capture and sharing- within ADB. Within this framework, we recommend this e-paper to you and trust it will assist in the process of making choices about dam projects in a spirit of constructive and informed engagement. 
Bindu N. Lohani
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