Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in Sweden

The increasing number of deteriorating old dams that need renovation or have lost their function make dam removal a viable management option. There are at least four major reasons for dam removal: safety, law and policy, economy, and ecology. Here we discuss 17 Swedish dams that were recently cons...

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Main Authors: Anna G. C. Lejon, Birgitta Malm Renöfält, Christer Nilsson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Resilience Alliance 2009-12-01
Series:Ecology and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss2/art4/
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spelling doaj-6b81cf84a9e34ebc9d7b4d010ed25d062020-11-25T00:00:23ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872009-12-01142410.5751/ES-02931-1402042931Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in SwedenAnna G. C. Lejon0Birgitta Malm Renöfält1Christer Nilsson2Umeå UniversityUmeå UniversityUmeå UniversityThe increasing number of deteriorating old dams that need renovation or have lost their function make dam removal a viable management option. There are at least four major reasons for dam removal: safety, law and policy, economy, and ecology. Here we discuss 17 Swedish dams that were recently considered for removal. Because dam removal usually causes controversy, dam removal initiatives may succeed, fail, or result in a compromise such as a bypass channel for migrating fish. We identify and discuss three major obstructions to dam removal: funding, cultural-historical values, and threatened species. To facilitate dam removal, the reasons for, and the effects of, dam removal must be carefully explained, and the public and stakeholders must be kept informed. In complicated cases in which compromise solutions may be the most feasible outcome, the integration of the knowledge of different stakeholders is crucial. The involvement of diverse stakeholders increases their willingness to find compromises, thus avoiding conflicts and failures.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss2/art4/controversiesdam removalinformationobstructionsreservoirsriversstakeholder involvementSweden
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Anna G. C. Lejon
Birgitta Malm Renöfält
Christer Nilsson
spellingShingle Anna G. C. Lejon
Birgitta Malm Renöfält
Christer Nilsson
Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in Sweden
Ecology and Society
controversies
dam removal
information
obstructions
reservoirs
rivers
stakeholder involvement
Sweden
author_facet Anna G. C. Lejon
Birgitta Malm Renöfält
Christer Nilsson
author_sort Anna G. C. Lejon
title Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in Sweden
title_short Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in Sweden
title_full Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in Sweden
title_fullStr Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in Sweden
title_full_unstemmed Conflicts Associated with Dam Removal in Sweden
title_sort conflicts associated with dam removal in sweden
publisher Resilience Alliance
series Ecology and Society
issn 1708-3087
publishDate 2009-12-01
description The increasing number of deteriorating old dams that need renovation or have lost their function make dam removal a viable management option. There are at least four major reasons for dam removal: safety, law and policy, economy, and ecology. Here we discuss 17 Swedish dams that were recently considered for removal. Because dam removal usually causes controversy, dam removal initiatives may succeed, fail, or result in a compromise such as a bypass channel for migrating fish. We identify and discuss three major obstructions to dam removal: funding, cultural-historical values, and threatened species. To facilitate dam removal, the reasons for, and the effects of, dam removal must be carefully explained, and the public and stakeholders must be kept informed. In complicated cases in which compromise solutions may be the most feasible outcome, the integration of the knowledge of different stakeholders is crucial. The involvement of diverse stakeholders increases their willingness to find compromises, thus avoiding conflicts and failures.
topic controversies
dam removal
information
obstructions
reservoirs
rivers
stakeholder involvement
Sweden
url http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss2/art4/
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AT birgittamalmrenofalt conflictsassociatedwithdamremovalinsweden
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