Introduction
The increase in interest in hydroelectric power within the Amazon River Basin within the past fifty years has had a prominent effect on both the topography and the people of the Northern States of Brazil. . Many of these dams are built on tributaries of the Amazon River. In some areas, the creation of dams has led to mass amounts of deforestation and flooding in the surrounding areas. This affects both the people and the wildlife. Many of the natives were promised compensation for their land and have yet to see any of that money. Changes in the water quality and sediment composition have affected several species of fish (Clawson and Tillman 2012). New roads have been created through the land causing easier access to once remote locations. The creation of roads has led to an increase in mines in the area and easier transportation of goods. This has led to an even greater decrease in deforestation. For some of the dams, water has even been diverted to areas that previously did not have access to such large quantities. Although these dams have increased the amount of hydroelectric power produced in Brazil, they have had lasting impacts on the surrounding people and environment (Vidal 2017). The more recent dams have stricter guidelines to follow and therefore have a less negative impact on the environment than the previously constructed dams.
The increase in interest in hydroelectric power within the Amazon River Basin within the past fifty years has had a prominent effect on both the topography and the people of the Northern States of Brazil. . Many of these dams are built on tributaries of the Amazon River. In some areas, the creation of dams has led to mass amounts of deforestation and flooding in the surrounding areas. This affects both the people and the wildlife. Many of the natives were promised compensation for their land and have yet to see any of that money. Changes in the water quality and sediment composition have affected several species of fish (Clawson and Tillman 2012). New roads have been created through the land causing easier access to once remote locations. The creation of roads has led to an increase in mines in the area and easier transportation of goods. This has led to an even greater decrease in deforestation. For some of the dams, water has even been diverted to areas that previously did not have access to such large quantities. Although these dams have increased the amount of hydroelectric power produced in Brazil, they have had lasting impacts on the surrounding people and environment (Vidal 2017). The more recent dams have stricter guidelines to follow and therefore have a less negative impact on the environment than the previously constructed dams.
Figure 1. The Tucuruí dam in the Amazon Basin.
Methodology:
I started my project by doing research on the increase in dams in Latin America and then from there I narrowed it down to six dams in the Northern States of Brazil. I chose these dams because they are all in the Amazon Basin and are located on tributaries of the Amazon River. I located them in Google Earth Pro and then I decided to use the time lapse feature to show how the areas have changed since the construction and completion of the dams. I took screenshots of the areas through time in order to compare them. I decided to use polygons in order to show how much the rivers have widened in certain areas and the measurements can be found by clicking on the polygon icons. I then did some research in order to see both the environmental and social impacts of the dams. My goal with this project is to show both the social and environmental impacts of the dams and how they have changed the topography in these areas.
Impacts:
Jirau and Santo Antonio Dams
The Jirau and Santo Antonio Dams lie on the Madeira River in Rondonia, Brazil. Construction on both dams began in 2008 and they are part of a hydroelectric complex on the Madeira (survival international). The main concern with these dams is how they will continue to affect the people and animals living in this area. When construction began, the dam builders neglected to communicate with some of the native Indians. This led to tension among the groups and it also caused the natives to become displaced. Their homes were flooded and the loud construction forced them to relocate. According to survivalinternational.org, "A recent FUNAI report say that the noise of the dam construction pushed some of these Indians off their land, into a territory where miners are operating illegally" (survival international). FUNAI is Brazil's official branch of government for indigenous affairs. The relocation of the natives without their consent is a huge violation of human rights and ethically corrupt. The creation of this dam complex has also altered the landscape and made it more accessible for the mining and logging industries. This has caused a lot of deforestation within the area and it has heavily affected the natives who lived along the rivers. The wildlife has also been affected especially the fish. The creation of the dam altered the sediment composition within the water and heavily affects what species of fish can survive (hydropower). From the time-lapse polygons on the map, it is evident that the creation of the dams widened the Madeira in these areas. Although the dam is technically environmentally friendly with special implementations, its negative impacts cannot be overlooked (wikipedia).
Samuel Hydroelectric Dam
The Samuel Dam lies on a tributary of the Madeira called the Jamari River. Construction began in 1982 (wikipedia). Prior to the dam’s construction, the area was a tropical rainforest. It was cut down in order to make room for the dam and its reservoir. The deforestation and reservoir filling caused a huge displacement of the animals and many had to be relocated. Rescue efforts resulted in the overpopulation of some animals within the reservoir’s vicinity. In an attempt to balance the amount of forest lost, the Samuel Ecological Station was set up. This station was less than half the size of the amount of forest lost (wikipedia). It was not nearly enough to replace what had been demolished. The creation of the dam also caused an increase in illegal logging. This caused even more deforestation in the surrounding areas. From the time-lapse images, one can observe the drastic change in the landscape. In the image from 1984, there is a lot more forest/land area. In the image from 2016, water has become the dominating feature and covers the once luscious forests. The construction of the dam has also caused a decrease in fish species diversity.
Teles Pires Dam
In order to create the Teles Pires dam, the company destroyed a sacred space of the Kayabi Indians and displaced many communities (Mongabay). The complete disregard for the native culture is a tragedy in itself. This dam has won awards for being environmentally friendly but it still has negative impacts. The carbon emissions it releases are detrimental to the environment (Mongabay). It has also caused increased amounts of forest loss as you can see from the images on the map. You can also see the new roads that have been created and the construction that has been introduced around the dam. These new roads have led to an increase in mining and industry within the area. This takes an even greater toll on the land and the species that are able to live there as they are either being displaced or eradicated.
Belo Monte Dam
The building of the Belo Monte mega dam was extremely controversial because of the social and environmental impacts that it would have. The dam has caused major flooding in areas and resulted in the deforestation of roughly 0.01 percent of the Amazon Rainforest (wikipedia). This has caused changes in the biodiversity of the area and displaced thousands of locals including several indigenous groups. Because the dam is relatively new, the long term effects on the area are yet to be seen. However, you can tell from the satellite images how the areas have been flooded and how the river has been diverted. You can also see how there has been an increase in land loss and land usage around the dam.
Tucurui Dam
The Tucurui Dam has resulted in large amounts of deforestation. The deforestation occurred when building the dam and continued to grow after the dam was completed as new people moved to the area because of opportunites presented by the creation of new roads. Displaced people were also forced to cut down parts of the forest in order to establish new homes (international rivers). Two other major impacts of this dam are greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem loss. Because the dam was built before the regulations were strict, its carbon footprint is greater than other dams. This is detrimental to the environment. It has also caused a huge decrease in variety within the ecosystem as some species were not able to thrive in the new landscape (international rivers). You can see from the polygons and the images on the map how the landscape has been changed.
Works Cited
- Clawson, David, and Benjamin Tillman. 2012. Latin America and the Caribbean. New York, New York: Oxford University Press. p. 326-327.
- Vidal, John. 2017. "Why is Latin America so obsessed with mega dams?." theguardian.com
- International, Survival. “Madeira River Dams.” Madeira River Dams, www.survivalinternational.org/about/madeira-dams.
- "Brazil - Jirau.” Brazil - Jirau | International Hydropower Association, www.hydropower.org/casestudies/brazil-jirau.
- “Jirau Dam.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Aug. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jirau_Dam.
- “Santo Antônio Dam.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Jan. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Ant%C3%B4nio_Dam.
- “Is Brazil Green Washing Hydropower? The Case of the Teles Pires Dam.” Mongabay Environmental News, 4 Aug. 2017, news.mongabay.com/2017/01/is-brazil-green-washing-hydropower-the-case-ofthe-teles-pires-dam/.
- “Belo Monte Dam.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Apr. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belo_Monte_Dam.
- https://www.hydropower.org/case-studies/brazil-jirau
- https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-02-09/era-mega-dams-brazil-may-be-coming-end
- https://alchetron.com/Samuel-Hydroelectric-Dam
- https://news.mongabay.com/2017/01/is-brazil-green-washing-hydropower-the-case-of-the-teles-pires-dam/
- https://www.commondreams.org/views/2012/06/23/belo-monte-dam-environmental-crime
- http://www.hardrainproject.com/hrpl?n=9837
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