Environmental Flows

World Rivers Review: Focus on Restoring the Flow - June 2011

WRR Cover
The June issue of World Rivers Review is overflowing with ideas on on how to maintain healthy flows in rivers, for their health and our own. If a river's flow is its heartbeat, then we humans have become the heart disease of the world's rivers. We’ve clogged most of our major rivers with dams, and given up all too many once-great rivers for dead once we’ve used them up. The good news: it’s not too late to change. The articles in this issue look at three ways to solve the problem of maintaining healthy river flows. Download the entire issueFeatured articles:Commentary: Watching the River

The True Costs of Belo Monte Dam Emerge

Map of Area Directly Impacted by Belo Monte Dam
Monday, October 12, 2009
Map of Area Directly Impacted by Belo Monte Dam from Belo Monte EIA What would be the true environmental, social, and economic costs of Belo Monte Dam? New studies by a group of independent experts have highlighted the serious consequences the dam would have for the region, its inhabitants, and ecosystems of the Amazon rainforest. Belo Monte, which with an installed generating capacity of 11,231 MW would be the world's third largest dam, and its complex array of two powerhouses, artificial canals, huge dykes, two reservoirs, spillways, ports, roads, and work camps would devastate more than 1,

Independent Review Highlights the True Costs of Belo Monte Dam

Monday, October 12, 2009
The true costs of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Project, planned for the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon, have been revealed in a new independent review by a panel of 40 specialists. The panel found that the dam would have serious consequences for the region, its inhabitants, and ecosystems of the Amazon rainforest. The panel - comprised of scientists from major Brazilian research institutions - reviewed the project's environmental impact assessment and delivered a 230-page report to Ibama, the Brazilian government's environmental agency, on October 1st.One of the most alarming impacts ide

Belo Monte Experts Panel Report

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The true costs of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Project, planned for the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon, have been revealed in an independent review by a panel of 40 specialists. The panel found that the dam would have serious consequences for the region, its inhabitants, and ecosystems of the Amazon rainforest. The panel - comprised of scientists from major Brazilian research institutions - reviewed the project's environmental impact assessment and delivered a 230-page report to Ibama, the Brazilian government's environmental agency, on October 1st, 2009. One of the mo

Análise Crítica do Estudo de Impacto Ambiental Belo Monte

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Especialistas vinculados a diversas Instituições de Ensino e Pesquisa identificam e analisam, de acordo com a sua especialidade, graves problemas e sérias lacunas no EIA de Belo Monte.

Talking with an Expert on Rivers' Needs for Water

From World Rivers Review, June 2003 Jackie King has studied southern African rivers and wetlands for 26 years. A freshwater ecologist at the University of Cape Town, she is a specialist on the impacts of dams on rivers and an expert in the emerging field of environmental flow assessments – studies that determine the range of impacts to a river from reduced river flows. King's studies on South African rivers' environmental flow requirements influenced the writing of the South African Water Law, which requires the maintenance of an "ecological reserve" of water in all

Projeto de Belo Monte Prevê Reassentamento de 19 Mil Pessoas

Friday, May 29, 2009
Usina enfrenta resistência dos índios e pode reduzir muito a vazão do rio em época de seca O projeto da usina hidrelétrica de Belo Monte, no Pará, ficou conhecido pelo impasse entre produzir energia em um rio sem barragens e a resistência dos povos indígenas que vivem ali e enxergam o Xingu como sagrado. Esta semana, quando o Ibama tornou públicos o Estudo de Impacto Ambiental e seu relatório, o EIA-Rima, começou a discussão em torno dos efeitos socioambientais do empreendimento que pode resultar na segunda maior hidrelétrica do país, atrás apenas de Itaipu. O choque vai além d

RIMA Hidrelétrica Belo Monte

Monday, May 25, 2009
Veja o Relatório de Impacto Ambiental da hidrelétrica Belo Monte

Assessing Environmental Flow Requirements for the Zambezi Delta

Sunday, October 1, 2006
This report outlines a restoration effort based on making Mozambique's Cahora Bassa Dam's water release patterns more closely mimic natural flows. The study states: "At present the management of [upstream dams] remains focused on maximizing hydropower production relative to other potential Zambezi River use." The researchers found that a small (less than 3%) reduction in hydropower production at Cahora Bassa would enable prescribed flood releases that could result in very significant improvements in ecosystem-based livelihoods of downstream residents. Download the full r

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