Evaluating Negative Environmental Impacts Caused by Dam Construction

Abstract

Dams are one of the most important structures in the water resources transmission and storage systems. Thus, given the growth and development of dam construction in the world, evaluating environmental consequences of the dam has high importance. Dams leave positive and negative impacts on the environment. The destructive impacts of dam construction include social, economic, hydraulic, biological, health, and atmospheric impacts, etc., leading to change and complexity. Hence, given the importance of the positive impacts of dams, it is essential that negative environmental impacts of the dam to be minimized for sustainable development. The current article evaluates the negative environmental impacts caused by dam construction.