dams

1. Dams can hinder the upstream and downstream movement of anadromous, catadromous, and
amphidromous fish. A tiny impediment might prevent the fish from being guided to their spawning places by
scent and touch signals (Hasler, Hoar, & Randall). The plight of eels in Cornwall's hydroelectric turbines on
the Saint Lawrence Seaway has been described as dreadful (Lefolii). Fish ladders and other devices for
allowing fish to cross dams are well-developed, however, there is considerable controversy about whether
such facilities are always appropriate. Fish can also be caught below the dam and trucked to the river's
pristine upper sections.
One of the most unpleasant consequences of the construction of a large reservoir has been the
disruption of people's everyday lives. Large hydroelectric reservoirs, as opposed to small reservoirs used for
irrigation and flood control, typically have little direct influence on the well-being of the majority of those
affected. This has been a particularly difficult issue for those who make a living by hunting, fishing, or
trapping. Unfortunately, large impoundments throughout Africa have wreaked havoc (Waddy, 1975). Much
of this was most likely due to wasteful and poorly handled resettlement programs, and it is expected that this
experience will serve as a guide for future arrangements of this type. People have demonstrated tremendous
resourcefulness in other circumstances, such as producing crops in the drawdown zone or changing their
fishing abilities.