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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Downstream Hydrologic And Geomorphic Effects Of Large Dams On American Rivers, William Graf
Downstream Hydrologic And Geomorphic Effects Of Large Dams On American Rivers, William Graf
William L. Graf
The hydrology and geomorphology of large rivers in America reflect the pervasive influence of an extensive water control infrastructure including more than 75,000 dams. One hundred thirty-seven of the very large dams, each storing 1.2 km3 (106 acre feet) of water or more, alter the flows of every large river in the country. The hydrologic effects of these very large dams emerge from an analysis of the stream gage records of 72 river reaches organized into 36 pairs. One member of each pair is an unregulated reach above a dam, whereas the other is a regulated reach downstream from the …
Geomorphology And American Dams: The Scientific, Social, And Economic Context, William Graf
Geomorphology And American Dams: The Scientific, Social, And Economic Context, William Graf
William L. Graf
American geomorphologic research related to dams is embedded in a complicated context of science, policy, economics, and culture. Research into the downstream effects of large dams has progressed to the point of theory-building, but generalization and theory-building are from this research because (1) it is highly focused on a few locations, (2) it concerns mostly very large dams rather than a representative sample of sizes, (3) the available record of effects is too short to inform us on long-term changes, (4) the reversibility of changes imposed by dam installation and operation is unknown, and (5) coordinated funding for the needed …