Resistance to hydropower is evaporating as science takes centre stage
Dams are once again being recognised as important key contributors to a prosperous and sustainable future.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on Dams
Displaying 1 - 20 of 42 articles
What’s at stake in China’s plan to blow up islands in the Mekong
If the river islands are bombed away and if the riverscape is engineered into something more like a large artificial canal, then endangered species face extinction.
Snowy hydro scheme will be left high and dry unless we look after the mountains
A reliable water supply from Australia's mountain catchments depends on intact and functioning ecosystems.
Upgrading our infrastructure: Targeting repairs for locks, dams and bridges
Old and degraded infrastructure costs the United States money and puts lives at risk. A civil engineer describes some innovative ways to measure risks and prioritize repairs.
Oroville dam danger shows how Trump could win big on infrastructure
For a small price, Donald Trump could score the easy win he's been waiting for.
The damming problem of reconnecting Europe’s rivers
We're working on a project to map all of Europe's waterways and dams.
China and India’s race to dam the Brahmaputra river puts the Himalayas at risk
At the heart of the Himalayas, the ongoing conflict between China and India for the hydro-power race will affect the whole region.
The most important dam you probably haven’t heard of
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, under construction on the Blue Nile, will bring electricity and wealth to East Africa, but could also have harmful environmental and political impacts.
When development becomes a curse: displacements and destroyed livelihoods
Mega development projects can have a positive impact. But there are risks. Between 2004 and 2013, some 3.4 million people were ‘physically and economically displaced’ by World Bank projects alone.
How building new dams is adding to Africa’s malaria burden
The construction of dams in Africa, in some cases, bring an unintended consequence – an increase in malaria in the surrounding areas.
Dragonflies as sentinels for freshwater conservation
Freshwater is one of the most threatened resources on Earth. Dragonflies can tell us what we need to know about the state of this precious resource.
How a controversial dam threatens rights of Canada’s indigenous Innu people
The 'Muskrat Falls' hydroelectric project is being built in anticipation of the Innu voting away ownership of their own land.
We can have fish and dams: here’s how
Freshwater fish are declining everywhere, in part thanks to dam-building. But we can have both.
Rush to dam northern Australia comes at the expense of sustainability
The development of northern Australia will depend on harnessing water resources.
Are toxic algal blooms the new normal for Australia’s major rivers?
Toxic algal blooms were unheard of in Australia's major waterways before 1991. Now the Murray River has been struck by four major events in less than a decade, with more likely in the future.
Antarctic ice shows Australia’s drought and flood risk is worse than thought
A new millennium-long record reveals that Australia has suffered longer droughts and wet periods than those recorded in the past century's weather observations.
We all live downstream – it’s time to restore our freshwater ecosystems
Freshwater covers only 0.5% of the Earth's surface but is home to 10% of the world's lifeforms.
Development banks threaten to unleash an infrastructure tsunami on the environment
Big new investors such as the Asian Infrastructure Development Bank are key players in a worldwide infrastructure, and that could be bad news for the environment.
Melbourne’s desalination plant is just one part of drought-proofing water supply
Despite its long idle, Melbourne's desalination plant plays a vital role in providing water in a drying climate.
Cuts to WaterNSW’s science staff will put Sydney’s water quality at risk
The cutting of senior staff from WaterNSW, the body that oversees the safety of Sydney's water supply, poses serious risks to Australia's most complex water network.
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Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University
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Barry Hart is a Friend of The Conversation.
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