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• 1. [Article] A topography of dams in China : impacts to agriculture, labor, and migration

  Dams are often promoted as a tool to reduce poverty and spur economic development. Dam construction worldwide, and particularly in China, which has built nearly half the world's large dams since 1949, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A topography of dams in China : impacts to agriculture, labor, and migration Author: Foster-Moore, Eric Dams are often promoted as a tool to reduce poverty and spur economic development. Dam construction worldwide, and particularly in China, which has built nearly half the world's large dams since 1949, remains contentious due to the potential for negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Despite numerous case studies, there is little systematic empirical evidence about either the contribution of dams to human development or their negative impacts to humans and the environment. Identifying the impact of dams also presents a methodological challenge because dam placement is likely endogenous to socioeconomic outcomes. The topographic suitability of a landscape for dam construction provides a source of exogenous variation in dam siting, which, building on the work of previous scholars, I exploit to identify the effect of large dams on agriculture, population change, and labor allocation. My results suggest that dams have decreased grain production in the counties where they were built and have drawn labor into non-agricultural fields. Dams appear to impact population subgroups in predictable ways and create identifiable winners and losers. Title: A topography of dams in China : impacts to agriculture, labor, and migration Author: Foster-Moore, Eric Dams are often promoted as a tool to reduce poverty and spur economic development. Dam construction worldwide, and particularly in China, which has built nearly half the world's large dams since 1949, remains contentious due to the potential for negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Despite numerous case studies, there is little systematic empirical evidence about either the contribution of dams to human development or their negative impacts to humans and the environment. Identifying the impact of dams also presents a methodological challenge because dam placement is likely endogenous to socioeconomic outcomes. The topographic suitability of a landscape for dam construction provides a source of exogenous variation in dam siting, which, building on the work of previous scholars, I exploit to identify the effect of large dams on agriculture, population change, and labor allocation. My results suggest that dams have decreased grain production in the counties where they were built and have drawn labor into non-agricultural fields. Dams appear to impact population subgroups in predictable ways and create identifiable winners and losers. Close

• 2. [Article] Development and decommissioning of small dams : analysis of impact and context

  Management of small dams may have profound implications for the health and integrity of small rivers and freshwater diversity. Global indicators suggest future growth in the small hydropower sector, particularly ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Development and decommissioning of small dams : analysis of impact and context Author: Kibler, Kelly Maren Management of small dams may have profound implications for the health and integrity of small rivers and freshwater diversity. Global indicators suggest future growth in the small hydropower sector, particularly in developing countries. As a renewable energy source, it is often presumed that small hydropower entails fewer and less severe negative externalities than those associated with development of larger hydropower facilities. However, as very little study exists investigating the cumulative effect of small‐scale hydrodevelopment on ecological and social systems, limited data is available to substantiate this assumption. To enhance understanding of small hydropower effects, I present a comprehensive comparison of biophysical consequences of small and large hydropower stations in Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. My comparison indicates that cumulative ecological effects of small hydropower development may equal or exceed those associated with development of large hydropower. Because negligible adverse effects are anticipated, small hydropower projects often are characterized by reduced project oversight, streamlined permitting processes, relaxed requirements for environmental impact assessment and mitigation, and increased opportunity for international support relative to large hydropower projects. Outcomes from my comparison of small and large hydropower stations in Nujiang Prefecture and synthesis of available study from diversion‐design facilities suggest that current policies allowing less rigorous standards of impact assessment for the small hydropower sector should be reevaluated. Further study is necessary to optimize management that minimizes the consequences of small hydropower and to create effective policies encouraging low‐impact development of renewable energy sources. With regard to decommissioning of small dams, the restoration potential of small rivers impounded by reservoirs filled with coarse sediment may outweigh the likelihood of detrimental dam‐removal effects. After removal of the Brownsville Dam from the Calapooia River, Oregon, aquatic habitats directly below the dam became more heterogeneous over the short term, while changes further downstream were virtually undetectable. As the Brownsville Dam stored coarse rather than fine sediments, outcomes following removal differ from results of many prior dam removal studies. As current conceptual ideas of dam removal effects are largely informed by study of low‐gradient systems transporting finer sediments, I propose a refined conceptual model describing downstream geomorphic processes following small dam removal when upstream fill is dominated by coarse sediments. Dam removal monitoring studies challenge many basic assumptions of conventional experimental designs and data analysis techniques, thus the quality of information available to aid decision making may often be questionable or misleading. To assist managers in undertaking dam removal monitoring, I also discuss assets and limitations of monitoring and analysis options available for dam removal studies, with emphasis on selecting a rigorous experimental design and determining significance of results. Title: Development and decommissioning of small dams : analysis of impact and context Author: Kibler, Kelly Maren Management of small dams may have profound implications for the health and integrity of small rivers and freshwater diversity. Global indicators suggest future growth in the small hydropower sector, particularly in developing countries. As a renewable energy source, it is often presumed that small hydropower entails fewer and less severe negative externalities than those associated with development of larger hydropower facilities. However, as very little study exists investigating the cumulative effect of small‐scale hydrodevelopment on ecological and social systems, limited data is available to substantiate this assumption. To enhance understanding of small hydropower effects, I present a comprehensive comparison of biophysical consequences of small and large hydropower stations in Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. My comparison indicates that cumulative ecological effects of small hydropower development may equal or exceed those associated with development of large hydropower. Because negligible adverse effects are anticipated, small hydropower projects often are characterized by reduced project oversight, streamlined permitting processes, relaxed requirements for environmental impact assessment and mitigation, and increased opportunity for international support relative to large hydropower projects. Outcomes from my comparison of small and large hydropower stations in Nujiang Prefecture and synthesis of available study from diversion‐design facilities suggest that current policies allowing less rigorous standards of impact assessment for the small hydropower sector should be reevaluated. Further study is necessary to optimize management that minimizes the consequences of small hydropower and to create effective policies encouraging low‐impact development of renewable energy sources. With regard to decommissioning of small dams, the restoration potential of small rivers impounded by reservoirs filled with coarse sediment may outweigh the likelihood of detrimental dam‐removal effects. After removal of the Brownsville Dam from the Calapooia River, Oregon, aquatic habitats directly below the dam became more heterogeneous over the short term, while changes further downstream were virtually undetectable. As the Brownsville Dam stored coarse rather than fine sediments, outcomes following removal differ from results of many prior dam removal studies. As current conceptual ideas of dam removal effects are largely informed by study of low‐gradient systems transporting finer sediments, I propose a refined conceptual model describing downstream geomorphic processes following small dam removal when upstream fill is dominated by coarse sediments. Dam removal monitoring studies challenge many basic assumptions of conventional experimental designs and data analysis techniques, thus the quality of information available to aid decision making may often be questionable or misleading. To assist managers in undertaking dam removal monitoring, I also discuss assets and limitations of monitoring and analysis options available for dam removal studies, with emphasis on selecting a rigorous experimental design and determining significance of results. Close

• 3. [Article] Cumulative biophysical impact of small and large hydropower development in Nu River, China

  This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the American Geophysical Union and can be found at: http://www.agu.org/journals/wr/.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Cumulative biophysical impact of small and large hydropower development in Nu River, China Author: Kibler, Kelly M., Tullos, Desiree D. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the American Geophysical Union and can be found at: http://www.agu.org/journals/wr/. Title: Cumulative biophysical impact of small and large hydropower development in Nu River, China Author: Kibler, Kelly M., Tullos, Desiree D. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the American Geophysical Union and can be found at: http://www.agu.org/journals/wr/. Close

• 4. [Article] Biophysical, Socioeconomic, and Geopolitical Vulnerabilities to Hydropower Development on the Nu River, China

  This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Resilience Alliance and can be found at: http://www.resalliance.org/.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Biophysical, Socioeconomic, and Geopolitical Vulnerabilities to Hydropower Development on the Nu River, China Author: Tilt, Bryan, Gassert, Francis, Schmitt, Edwin, Foster-Moore, Eric, Kibler, Kelly, Magee, Darrin, Tullos, Desiree D., Wolf, Aaron T. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Resilience Alliance and can be found at: http://www.resalliance.org/. Title: Biophysical, Socioeconomic, and Geopolitical Vulnerabilities to Hydropower Development on the Nu River, China Author: Tilt, Bryan, Gassert, Francis, Schmitt, Edwin, Foster-Moore, Eric, Kibler, Kelly, Magee, Darrin, Tullos, Desiree D., Wolf, Aaron T. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Resilience Alliance and can be found at: http://www.resalliance.org/. Close

• 5. [Article] Socio-ecological vulnerability in a Tibetan village on the Lancang River, China

  This ethnographic research examines socioeconomic vulnerabilities to resettlement from a large hydropower dam and agricultural commodification in a Tibetan village in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Socio-ecological vulnerability in a Tibetan village on the Lancang River, China Author: Galipeau, Brendan A. This ethnographic research examines socioeconomic vulnerabilities to resettlement from a large hydropower dam and agricultural commodification in a Tibetan village in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. After providing an initial background on the dynamics of the research region and hydrodevelopment on its rivers, the research framework of examining vulnerability through a lens of political ecology and local knowledge is outlined. Utilizing this framework, the socioeconomic strategies surrounding agriculture and commodified forest products within the study village are initially outlined through the use of oral histories, previous literature, and quantitative household survey data. After providing a detailed background on these income strategies, vulnerabilities to resettlement are examined through qualitative analysis of individual household interviews. This analysis shows that village households are highly reliant on the village's specific location in order to collect the resources and pursue the agriculture that they do; making them vulnerable to future resettlement. The analysis also shows that in the opinions of villagers, a good standard of living is significantly defined by their ability to pursue specific economic strategies. Next, interview results are analyzed to show how agricultural commodification and a very high reliance on one government sponsored company to purchase crops has also made the village highly vulnerable economically. The thesis concludes with reflections on future hydrodevelopment and resettlement scenarios within the village, and provides recommendations to improve local level resilience and promote better capacity to adapt to change. Title: Socio-ecological vulnerability in a Tibetan village on the Lancang River, China Author: Galipeau, Brendan A. This ethnographic research examines socioeconomic vulnerabilities to resettlement from a large hydropower dam and agricultural commodification in a Tibetan village in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. After providing an initial background on the dynamics of the research region and hydrodevelopment on its rivers, the research framework of examining vulnerability through a lens of political ecology and local knowledge is outlined. Utilizing this framework, the socioeconomic strategies surrounding agriculture and commodified forest products within the study village are initially outlined through the use of oral histories, previous literature, and quantitative household survey data. After providing a detailed background on these income strategies, vulnerabilities to resettlement are examined through qualitative analysis of individual household interviews. This analysis shows that village households are highly reliant on the village's specific location in order to collect the resources and pursue the agriculture that they do; making them vulnerable to future resettlement. The analysis also shows that in the opinions of villagers, a good standard of living is significantly defined by their ability to pursue specific economic strategies. Next, interview results are analyzed to show how agricultural commodification and a very high reliance on one government sponsored company to purchase crops has also made the village highly vulnerable economically. The thesis concludes with reflections on future hydrodevelopment and resettlement scenarios within the village, and provides recommendations to improve local level resilience and promote better capacity to adapt to change. Close