Impacts of Dam Construction in Zimbabwe

The book explores the impacts of the construction of Mpudzi Dam(2) in Zimbabwe citing examples of other cases elsewhere in Africa and the world. The Dam was constructed to supply water for irrigation as well as releases for communities downstream. However, the construction was done without a full environmental impact assessment resulting in displacement of settlements, loss of grazing land, loss of indigenous plant species, sacred cultural sites and the general alteration of the soil structure. The dam project also heightened traditional leadership squabbles among the communities surrounding the dam and that they gained very little in terms of revenue related with construction of the dam. There was however, increased family disputes and divorces related with dam as local people scrambled to have short term gains from the construction of the dam. Some of the squabbles and related conflicts and problems could have been avoided if a comprehensive study of these impacts was done before the construction of the dam and that a comprehensive environmental management plan was produced. This could have minimised conflicts and damage to the environment