HIST 257 Lecture 1: Week 8
Document Summary
Main prerogative was agriculture and irrigation: agriculture has depended on dams and diversions, more water and more constant flows, avoid flooding, control of water improved irrigation systems. Today hydroelectric power is greatest benefit: expansion of industry, lower generating costs and reduced ghg emissions, may also pervade some ghg. Different benefit require different levels of water: don"t usually receive all the benefits, common to prioritize ones. Cost may outweigh these benefits: tilt integrated assessment. Large reservoirs contribute to methane emissions soaks vegetation: water cannot flow into adjacent countries. Might not have access to flows of water or power because they had to move away: impermanence dam is not going to last forever, less beneficial over time expensive. Demolition can be equally costly: historical sites are flooded, aesthetic and scenery lost, displacement and resettlement. Loss of heritage, ethnic identity (language, food: in the past, social costs have no been evaluated in the assessment.