Question

How does the impounding of waterways by building dams affect the environment?

Answer 1

1. The impoundment of waterways through dam construction has severe impacts on the environment. When a dam is built, it changes the natural flow of a river, disturbing ecosystems that depend on the free passage of water.
2. Aquatic animals, mainly migratory fish, encounter issues as their paths are prevented, resulting in population declines.
3. Furthermore, the water in the reservoir becomes stagnant, reducing oxygen levels and raising temperatures, harming aquatic life.
4. Reservoirs frequently flood broad regions, drowning forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitats, resulting in biodiversity loss.
5. Sediments that usually flow downstream and replace ecosystems are trapped behind the dam, resulting in erosion and reduced soil fertility in downstream regions.
6. Furthermore, dams might relocate populations along the river, damaging their livelihoods and cultural links to the land.
7. As a result, while dams provide benefits such as energy and water control, their environmental effects are severe and broad.