A multiscale approach to balance trade-offs among dam infrastructure, river restoration, and cost
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
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Abstract
Aging infrastructure and growing interests in river restoration have led to a substantial rise in dam removals in the U.S. However, the decision to remove a dam involves many complex trade-offs. The benefits of dam removal for hazard reduction and ecological restoration are potentially offset by the loss of hydroelectricity production, water supply, and other important services. We use a multi-objective approach to examine a wide array of trade-offs and synergies involved with strategic dam removal at three spatial scales in New England. We find that increasing the scale of decision-making improves the efficiency of trade-offs among ecosystem services, river safety, and economic costs resulting from dam removal, but this may lead to heterogeneous and less equitable local-scale outcomes. Our model may help facilitate multilateral funding, policy, and stakeholder agreements by analyzing the trade-offs of coordinated dam decisions, including net benefit alternatives to dam removal, at scales that satisfy these agreements.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | A multiscale approach to balance trade-offs among dam infrastructure, river restoration, and cost |
| Series title | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
| DOI | 10.1073/pnas.1807437115 |
| Volume | 115 |
| Issue | 47 |
| Year Published | 2018 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | National Academy of Sciences |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Leetown |
| Description | 6 p. |
| First page | 12069 |
| Last page | 12074 |
| Country | United States |
| Other Geospatial | New England |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |