Dire Consequences of Dam Reservoir Emissions, Petit Saut Reservoir, French Guiana. A growing number of scientific studies indicate that reservoirs, especially in the tropics, are a significant source of global greenhouse gas pollution. The “fuel” for these emissions is the rotting of organic matter from the vegetation and soils flooded when the reservoir is first filled. The carbon in the plankton and plants that live and die in the reservoir, the detritus washed down from the watershed above, and the seasonal flooding of plants along the reservoir fringes, ensure that emissions continue for the lifetime of the reservoir. Captions and Photo source: ©© Frédéric Guérin / International Rivers
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Though large hydropower projects are often presented as a “clean and green” source of energy, nothing could be further from the truth…
WATCH on Vimeo: The Wrong Climate for Damming Rivers, from Todd Southgate
Sediment Trapped Behind Dams Makes Them ‘Hot Spots’ for Greenhouse Gas Emissions, (08-01-2013)
New Global Warming Culprit: Dams (08-08-2012)
Washington State University researchers have documented an underappreciated suite of players in global warming: dams, the water reservoirs behind them, and surges of greenhouse gases as water levels go up and down.
Large Dams Just Aren’t Worth the Cost, The New York Times (10-25-2014)
Small Dams On Chinese River Harm Environment More Than Expected, study finds, NSF (05-30-2013)
Movement to Take Down Thousands of Dams Goes Mainstream, National Geographic (01-29-2015)
Dams – Cutting off our Beach Sand; By Gary Griggs (12-19-2014)
