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Planning for a Large Dam Project: The Case of Traveston Crossing Dam

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  • Saleh Wasimi

Abstract

The approval for a large dam project proposal these days predominantly involves satisfying broadly the criteria of economic development, social equity, and environmental sustainability. It is justified that the criterion of economic development seeks full project cost recovery as well as significant contribution to economic growth of a region. Cost–benefit analysis is normally used as the yardstick for economic development but it has limitations and a better method is warranted. Social equity considerations should embody the need to address the concerns of all sections in communities to be impacted by a project and involve them in the decision-making process. The lapse of this aspect in project planning of the past has led, at least as being partly responsible, to disastrous consequences. Environmental sustainability should seek to ensure that the vital components of the environment are preserved such that the future generation can use the natural resources to their benefit at least as much as the current generation. Environmental sustainability is arguably the most contentious criteria among these. The vagueness in the concept of environmental sustainability and the tendency of the society to err on the safe side have caused many large dam project proposals not reach their fruition. An attempt is made in this paper to define environmental sustainability in a more meaningful way from an analytic viewpoint. The case of Traveston Crossing Dam project in southeast Queensland, Australia is presented as an illustrative example and to evaluate the performance and relevance of the three broad criteria in a real-world application. The case study is also an example of the fact that environmental awareness can lead to enormous level of socio-political forces which can create many hurdles to cross by a democratic government. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010

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  • Saleh Wasimi, 2010. "Planning for a Large Dam Project: The Case of Traveston Crossing Dam," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(12), pages 2991-3015, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:24:y:2010:i:12:p:2991-3015
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-010-9591-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Shobeir Karami & Ezatollah Karami, 2020. "Sustainability assessment of dams," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 2919-2940, April.
    3. Zorica Srdjevic & Ratko Bajcetic & Bojan Srdjevic, 2012. "Identifying the Criteria Set for Multicriteria Decision Making Based on SWOT/PESTLE Analysis: A Case Study of Reconstructing A Water Intake Structure," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(12), pages 3379-3393, September.
    4. Zeyu Wang & Juqin Shen & Fuhua Sun & Zhaofang Zhang & Dandan Zhang & Yizhen Jia & Kaize Zhang, 2019. "A Pricing Model for Groundwater Rights in Ningxia, China Based on the Fuzzy Mathematical Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-20, June.
    5. Ali Azarnivand & Mohammad Ebrahim Banihabib, 2017. "A Multi-level Strategic Group Decision Making for Understanding and Analysis of Sustainable Watershed Planning in Response to Environmental Perplexities," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 629-648, May.
    6. Pei Zhao & Xiangyu Tang & Jialiang Tang & Chao Wang, 2013. "Assessing Water Quality of Three Gorges Reservoir, China, Over a Five-Year Period From 2006 to 2011," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(13), pages 4545-4558, October.

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