TY - JOUR
T1 - Dams
T2 - Effects of Hydrological Infrastructure on Development
AU - Dillon, Andrew
AU - Fishman, Ram
PY - 2019/10/5
Y1 - 2019/10/5
N2 - Hydrological investments, particularly irrigation dams, have multiple potential benefits for economic development. Dams also have financial, environmental, and distributional impacts that can affect their benefits and costs. This article reviews the evidence on the impact of dams on economic development, focusing on the levels and variability of agricultural productivity, and its effect on poverty, health, electricity generation, and flood control. We also review the evidence on irrigation efficiency and collective action of dam maintenance. Throughout the discussion, we highlight the empirical challenges that restrict the body of causally interpretable impact estimates and areas in which the evidence is particularly thin. We conclude with a discussion of emerging issues pertaining to the long-term sustainability of dams impacts and suggest directions for future research.
AB - Hydrological investments, particularly irrigation dams, have multiple potential benefits for economic development. Dams also have financial, environmental, and distributional impacts that can affect their benefits and costs. This article reviews the evidence on the impact of dams on economic development, focusing on the levels and variability of agricultural productivity, and its effect on poverty, health, electricity generation, and flood control. We also review the evidence on irrigation efficiency and collective action of dam maintenance. Throughout the discussion, we highlight the empirical challenges that restrict the body of causally interpretable impact estimates and areas in which the evidence is particularly thin. We conclude with a discussion of emerging issues pertaining to the long-term sustainability of dams impacts and suggest directions for future research.
KW - agriculture
KW - dams
KW - development
KW - irrigation
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U2 - 10.1146/annurev-resource-100518-093913
DO - 10.1146/annurev-resource-100518-093913
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85073236229
VL - 11
SP - 125
EP - 148
JO - Annual Review of Resource Economics
JF - Annual Review of Resource Economics
SN - 1941-1340
ER -