Expanding energy demands and agricultural and cattle
ranching activities have led to a proliferation of
dams (Finer & Jenkins 2012; Macedo 2012). There are
154 hydroelectric dams of all sizes in operation, 21
under construction, and a large but unknown number
of small dams in small streams built to provide
drinking water for cattle; there are some 10,000 such
small dams in the headwaters of the Xingu alone (Figure
1; ANEEL 2012; Macedo 2012; PROTEGER 2012).
There also are governmental plans to build an additional
277 hydroelectric dams in the basin (Figure 1). However,
there are no detailed environmental impact assessments
for dams in the Amazon, as most dams were constructed
before baseline ecological data were collected
(La Rovere & Mendes 2000; Gunkel et al. 2003). Dams
generally disrupt the longitudinal connectivity of rivers,
altering sediment transport dynamics and fish longitudinal
migrations (Poff & Hart 2002; Agostinho et al. 2008).
Many dams also alter river water temperature through
the release of thermally stratified waters from the reservoirs,
dramatically altering community species composition
downstream (Ward & Stanford 1979). Finally, dams
also reduce downstreamflood-pulse variability, especially
high flood maxima, which disrupts lateral connectivity
between river channels and adjacent floodplains and riparian
zones (Poff & Hart 2002). This disrupts fish lateral
migrations and lateral exchanges of nutrients and sediments,
thus altering biogeochemical cycles, reducing biological
production, and restructuring plant and animal
communities (Bayley 1995; Nilsson & Berggren 2000).
Current governmental plans call for establishing
15,114 km of navigable waterways (i.e., hidrovias in Portuguese)
to promote transport of commodities such as
soybeans (Figure 1; Brito 2001; IIRSA 2012). Establishing
waterways generally requires deepening of shallow areas,
removing natural obstacles such as rocks, and straightening
of winding stretches of the river channels. Such alterations
can be minor in large rivers (e.g., Amazon mainstem),
but they can dramatically impact the morphology
and hydrology of smaller rivers and associated floodplains
(e.g., Maraj ´o waterway; Figure 1).
Expanding energy demands and agricultural and cattleranching activities have led to a proliferation ofdams (Finer & Jenkins 2012; Macedo 2012). There are154 hydroelectric dams of all sizes in operation, 21under construction, and a large but unknown numberof small dams in small streams built to providedrinking water for cattle; there are some 10,000 suchsmall dams in the headwaters of the Xingu alone (Figure1; ANEEL 2012; Macedo 2012; PROTEGER 2012).There also are governmental plans to build an additional277 hydroelectric dams in the basin (Figure 1). However,there are no detailed environmental impact assessmentsfor dams in the Amazon, as most dams were constructedbefore baseline ecological data were collected(La Rovere & Mendes 2000; Gunkel et al. 2003). Damsgenerally disrupt the longitudinal connectivity of rivers,altering sediment transport dynamics and fish longitudinalmigrations (Poff & Hart 2002; Agostinho et al. 2008).Many dams also alter river water temperature throughthe release of thermally stratified waters from the reservoirs,dramatically altering community species compositiondownstream (Ward & Stanford 1979). Finally, damsalso reduce downstreamflood-pulse variability, especiallyhigh flood maxima, which disrupts lateral connectivitybetween river channels and adjacent floodplains and riparianzones (Poff & Hart 2002). This disrupts fish lateralmigrations and lateral exchanges of nutrients and sediments,thus altering biogeochemical cycles, reducing biological
production, and restructuring plant and animal
communities (Bayley 1995; Nilsson & Berggren 2000).
Current governmental plans call for establishing
15,114 km of navigable waterways (i.e., hidrovias in Portuguese)
to promote transport of commodities such as
soybeans (Figure 1; Brito 2001; IIRSA 2012). Establishing
waterways generally requires deepening of shallow areas,
removing natural obstacles such as rocks, and straightening
of winding stretches of the river channels. Such alterations
can be minor in large rivers (e.g., Amazon mainstem),
but they can dramatically impact the morphology
and hydrology of smaller rivers and associated floodplains
(e.g., Maraj ´o waterway; Figure 1).
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