A study by the United Nations highlights an alarming figure about the dams across the world. The study noted that because of massive sediment clogging, close to 50,000 large dams worldwide could lose more than a quarter of their storage capacity by 2050.
The UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health conducted the study, which was published on Wednesday (January 11). It also suggested that action must be taken to address the problem and protect vital storage infrastructure.
As pr the study, silt accumulates in reservoirs as a result of the disruption of natural water flows and it can cause damage to hydroelectric turbines and cut power generation.
UN research warned that trapped sediment has robbed roughly 50,000 large dams worldwide of an estimated 13 per cent to 19 per cent of their combined original storage capacity, and total losses will reach 23 per cent to 28 per cent by 2050.
The United Nations University said that the dam capacity might face a global loss from the original dam capacity probably by mid-century from ~6,300 billion to ~4,650 billion m3 in 2050. The difference of—~1,650 billion m3—roughly equals the annual water use of India, China, Indonesia, France and Canada combined.
The study shows that the United Kingdom, Panama, Ireland, Japan and Seychelles will experience the highest water storage losses by 2050.
Dr Duminda Perera, who co-authored the study with UNU-INWEH Director Vladimir Smakhtin and Spencer Williams of McGill University in Montreal, said: “The decrease in available storage by 2050 in all countries and regions will challenge many aspects of national economies, including irrigation, power generation, and water supply”.
Dr Perera added, “The new dams under construction or planned will not offset storage losses to sedimentation. This paper sounds an alarm on a creeping global water challenge with potentially significant development implications.”
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