Environmental Sciences Commons^™

An Environmental Systems Analysis Of Hydropower And Its Effects Upon Indigenous Settlements In Karnataka, India, Amy Joens

Honors Program Theses

Hydroelectricity is a very common method of energy production. Large dams are constantly being introduced to the river landscape in areas all over the world. There are definite benefits to hydropower, but the drawbacks may be even more evident. As modernization and development expand across developing nations like India, indigenous populations are often subject to the highest ration of negative impacts and consequences. This research explores both the costs and benefits of hydroelectricity, while using specific examples of dam construction projects to analyze aspects of the cumulative effects of a hydropower project. The Kabini Dam in southern Karnataka, India is …