Myth:
The
rivers should be left in their natural
free-flowing state
While no one would
argue the merits of preserving pristine rivers in their natural
state, it is a fact of modern life that our rivers provide many
social and economic benefits and help maintain our standard
of living.
A better proposition,
albeit a more difficult one is: "We can maximize a river's
benefit to human activity by making sound choices that balance
all competing values, including its existence value".
A river's existence
value - because it exists undeveloped whether anyone sees it
or not - is one way to appreciate a river. Recreation, scenic
beauty, and fish and wildlife habitat are some other ways to
value rivers. We also value drinking water, irrigation and navigation,
and, at another level, local economies, meaningful employment,
flood management, and of course a river's ability to generate
clean, renewable electrical power. In fact, hydropower's unique
electrical attributes are especially valuable for maintaining
the stability of the electric grid.
We can't ignore
any of these benefits, and fortunately it is not an 'either-or'
choice. Rather it is a question of degree. Dams and healthy
rivers can, and do readily co-exist. Hydropower projects support
fish and wildlife habitats, scenic areas and diverse species.
It is easy to be
seduced by literature that describes undeveloped rivers as 'free',
but policymakers must remain pragmatic in their approach to
river management. Just as there is a need for free-flowing rivers,
so too is there a need for working rivers.
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