Economics of River Flows

Lessons from Dam Removals in America

Hydropower dams are being removed in America while they are being built in India. Our experts calculate that immense benefits can be reaped from hydropower while American calculations show that hydropower is costly if economic costs of loss of fishing, recreation, biodiversity, etc. are taken into account. The use of rivers for these alternate activities generates welfare directly by improving the quality of life. It also generates large incomes from these alternate activities. They are removing dams because they reckon benefits from free flows of rivers to be larger than from generation of hydropower. This Book draws lesson from the American experience. It shows that proper economic analysis of dams being made in India will show that they perpetrate economic harm on the country. This book is essential reading for economists, power sector officials, power generation companies and environmentalists alike.