ICOLD members - United States

United States Society on Dams of the International Commission on Large Dams
1616 Seventeenth Street, Suite 483
Denver, CO 80202 USA

26 February 2001

Dear Professor Asmal:

The United States Society on Dams (USSD) has completed its review and analysis of the World Commission on Dams (WCD) report “Dams and Development - A New Framework for Decision-Making”. We commend the WCD for accepting the challenge to review the effectiveness of dams and assess alternatives for water resources and energy development. The recommended new policy framework will provide a basis to further develop a road map for the future development of water resources as a key element that supports a nations’ “national economic development plan”.

In the introduction, the report notes some positive contributions of large dams. However, the “Global Review” concentrates on the shortcomings in the planning and decision process for dams. There is little mention of the benefits derived from dams and that dams should be included as an option for future water resources and energy development. It would have been appropriate to present a more balanced focus and presentation to include 1) the successful role that dams have played in water resources development, 2) credit for the improvements in the environmental and social aspects in recent years and 3) the fact that dams provide the sufficient quantity and quality of water and energy to meet future needs.

With respect to existing dams, the report presents “decommissioning” as the obvious course of action for older dams. In reality, a life cycle evaluation is the appropriate process that is applied to existing dams. This is a continuing process that includes a review of all structural, operational and economic data. This evaluation includes a comparison of the existing project to its intended purposes and benefits. Then all options for the safe operation in the future are considered – improving efficiency, adding or changing the purposes and operation as well as removal, if no longer needed. This process has been successfully carried out under state supervision for some small and/or abandoned dams in the United States.

USSD experience in water resources development throughout the world can be summarized as follows, and should be included in discussions that address meeting the worldwide water and energy needs:

• Dams have made a significant and beneficial contribution to national development, but like all infrastructure projects, there have been social and environmental tradeoffs.
• The ICOLD Position Paper on the Environment sets the environmental criteria and standards for the design and construction of dams and modifications to existing dams.
• The technology used in dam engineering and construction has progressed and will continue to advance so that new projects and modifications to existing dams are efficient and cost effective to meet the identified needs as well as environmentally and socially responsible.
• As the world’s population continues to grow and a higher standard of living is sought by developing countries, the need for water and energy will increase. Significant quantities of water and energy will be required to eliminate poverty and sustain national economic development in the world.
• Dams will continue to play a significant and beneficial role in the development and management of water in river basins.
• Improvements are needed in the planning and decision making process for dams as well as all major infrastructure projects to ensure that they best meet national needs and provide the intended benefits.

The planning process for a major infrastructure project is the cornerstone of development. A critical part of this planning process is to inventory and forecast the critical resources (physical, demographic, economic and social) relevant to the development in a geographic area. In the past, the tools for forecasting to the future for the “without” and “with” project conditions have been crude and have not accurately predicted future needs and demand. Therefore, improved benefit/cost evaluation models need to be developed. Public involvement is a critical element of the planning process. The strategic priorities and the criteria and guidelines for implementing the priorities presented by the WCD are a major step forward in water resources development in the world.

We must be mindful that the mission and goal of The World Bank to reduce poverty and improve living standards through sustainable growth and investment in people. USSD believes that the ICOLD and its member countries have been and are continuing to be successful in implementing the ICOLD goal of advancing the technology of dam engineering and water management that support this mission and goal. The challenge for the future will be for all organizations to work with the World Bank to develop simple and practical implementation criteria and associated guidelines for a new planning process and framework for decision making for the worldwide water resources development.

Sincerely,

ARTHUR H. WALZ, JR.

President, United States Society on Dams

CF:
Mr. James Wolfensohn, President, The World Bank
Mr. C.V.J. Varma, President ICOLD