Use of decision support systems to improve dam planning and dam ...

Foreword
Current low levels of water storage in Africa correspond to high levels of poverty, a situation which is already
exacerbated by the increasingly observed variability of water flows due to climate change. Despite this, the
role of large dams for poverty alleviation and socioeconomic development remains controversial, which
stems from the fact that although numerous positive benefits can be attributed to large dams, the potential
benefits for local people are not necessarily accounted for in the design, and the associated costs can also
be high. Too often in the past, the costs and the benefits – invariably for the poorest and voiceless - have
been underestimated or ignored. The degradation of river ecosystems and loss of natural resources, caused by
dams, have had devastating consequences for many rural communities whose livelihoods depend on them,
and the potential benefits from dams to support livelihoods have rarely been met.
Today, the climate for decision making is changing. Development “at any cost” is no longer acceptable.
Increasingly decision makers are being called upon to assess ranges of options and justify the choices they
make. The demand for fair and transparent decision making involving the full range of stakeholders is
increasing. This adds significantly to the complexity of decision-making processes but should lead to better,
and hopefully, more acceptable decisions.
After a hiatus in dam investment, through the 1990s and the early part of this century, construction of
large dams is increasing again. Many African governments are convinced that large dams can contribute
to both attainment of the millennium development goals and broader economic development. As a result,
numerous large dams are now being planned or are under construction.
Evaluating dam options and finding an appropriate balance between development needs and the need
to safeguard the environment and existing livelihoods constitute a complex and difficult process. Modern
decision support systems can usefully input to this process by guiding the analysis of complicated hydrological,
environmental, social and economic factors associated with water allocation and assessing the impact of
different, often conflicting, management options both in planning and operation of dams.
This publication highlights the constructive role that decision support systems can play in planning and
operation of dams. It illustrates the importance of considering environmental and social issues in decision
making so that positive benefits of large dams can be maximized and the negative impacts minimized.
Alain Vidal
Director, CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food
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