This dissertation explores the reasons behind the impasse over the implementation of the LHWP II between communities affected by the construction of the Polihali Dam in Mokhotlong District in Lesotho and the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. This conflict which has threatened the implementation of the project has been looked at in terms of disagreements over the compensation package for the displacement and losses. Using an actor-oriented approach, the contention was that explanations of the impasse should go further than the simplistic explanations of compensation and non-compensation, but should focus on the dynamics of interaction between different actors involved in the Polihali case. The investigation of the particular context of the Phase II implementation reveals a complex arena; where different actors are pursuing different agendas and using the power at their disposal to achieve these agendas eventually struggled to find common ground. It also reveals a need to incorporate the perspective of these actors into any explanation of the impasse. Using this approach, the investigation identifies several factors of which the compensation package is only a part which contributed to the conflict. Chief among these factors was how the LHDA handled the situation. Dislocations are traumatic experiences and require that those affected should be fully involved in decisions that affect their situation, yet the LHDA engagement failed on the basic participation principles. The authority modelled its approach to community engagement on tokenism and allowed people’s consultation, but disregarded their inputs in the final decision making. This resulted in a skewed understanding of society and losses resulting from dam construction, which caused tensions between the authority and the communities. Therefore, this dissertation concludes that; while compensation was certainly a significant aspect in the impasse, the gap between what was compensated and expectations reflects a general lack of knowledge of society and the social dynamics guiding life in these societies, which arose from the failure of the approach adopted by the LHDA. The study therefore advocates a search for a new rural development narrative that will move away from assumption about the viability of small family farms. It also reveals a need to incorporate people affected by large dam development in all aspects of the project that affect their lives. / Dissertation(MSocSci (Development Studies))--University of Pretoria 2020. / Anthropology and Archaeology / MSocSci (Development Studies) / Unrestricted

China’s consumption of electricity is increasing with its economic development. Although the main supply of electricity power is still coal, the government has recognized the importance of renewable energy and energy transition. China officially made a pledge of carbon emission reduction after the Copenhagen conference and enhanced its efforts to promote the environmentally sustainable alternatives to coal-fired power plants. Hydropower is the central of this strategy to achieve sustainable energy production. Due to the ecological and social influences, the 13 dams concentrated on the Nu River have caused a fierce debate over the past decade. Premier Wen even halted twice the project in 2004 and 2009. However, faced with increasing energy demand and Copenhagen commitment for carbon emission reduction, hydropower development remains a top priority and the 12th Five-Year plan will continue the construction of the Songta Dam on the Nu River. The other four dams including Maji, Yabiluo, Liuku and Saige should undergo orderly preparation as well. Thus this thesis aims to evaluate to what extent has China’s decision to build large dams on Nu River taken sustainable development into serious consideration under the seven priority strategies policy framework of World Commission on Dams. The study finds out that China’s decision to build dams considered the environmental and social issues, but when it comes to population and displacement issues, more efforts of implementation are needed and the process of benefits sharing and getting acceptance as well.

The evaluation of the hydrological regime constitutes a fundamental instrument for the management process in the use of water resources. The growth of water demand associated with other impacts occurred in the basin of the River São Francisco make the knowledge about the hydrologic characteristics an important instrument for the use of their water resources are optimized with less environmental impact, the analysis of changes in the lower of São Francisco river the analysis of changes in the lower of São Francisco river resulted from the successive introduction of dams along the stretches and their environmental effects are extremely important concerning the revitalization of this river. Therefore, In Chapter I, a In Chapter I, bibliographic review about the anthropic impacts and changes the system of flows in rivers is presented; a small part of Brazilian legislation on granting the right of use of water resources and some methods and questions that assist in setting instream flows. In Chapter II, In Chapter II, a characterization of the study area with emphasis on the lower of São Francisco river was performed. In Chapter III we evaluated the magnitude of changes in flow regime in the Lower of São Francisco, caused by the construction of Sobradinho and Xingó reservoirs, and also the changes in water availability. In Chapter IV the changes in flow regime after the construction of Xingó´s reservoirs were determined by relating these changes with some ecological implications. In Chapter V, are determined instream flows by different methods that may guide the effective management of water resources in such a way to promote a water management that fits human needs and protect the ecological integrity of the aquatic ecosystem. They were identified several hydrological changes in the lower part of the River São Francisco in the period after the construction of the dams, among those changes there are the decreasing in peak, medium and minimum flows, decreasing in water availability, the end of natural floods with reduction of marginal lagoons. / A avaliação de indicadores hidrológicos constitui-se em um instrumento fundamental para o processo de gestão de recursos hídricos. O crescimento da demanda de água associado a outros impactos ocorridos na bacia hidrográfica do rio São Francisco, torna o conhecimento das características hidrológicas uma ferramenta importante para que o aproveitamento de seus recursos possam ser otimizado com menor impacto ambiental, a análise das alterações ocorridas no baixo rio São Francisco decorrentes da implantação sucessiva de barragens em cascata ao longo dos trechos e seus efeitos ambientais são de extrema importância ao se buscar a revitalização deste curso d água. Portanto, no Capítulo I, é apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre os impactos antrópicos e as mudanças do regime de vazões em rios, a legislação brasileira sobre outorga de direito de uso dos recursos hídricos e métodos e questões que auxiliam na definição de vazões ecológicas. No Capítulo II, foi realizada uma caracterização da área de estudo com ênfase para o baixo rio São Francisco. No capítulo III avaliou-se a magnitude das alterações no regime de vazões no baixo São Francisco, provocadas pela construção do reservatório de Sobradinho e Xingó, além das modificações na disponibilidade hídrica. No capítulo IV foi determinada as alterações no regime de fluxos após a construção dos reservatórios de Xingó, relacionando essas alterações com algumas implicações ecológicas. No Capítulo V, são determinadas as vazões ecológicas por diferentes métodos que poderá nortear o gerenciamento eficaz do recurso hídrico, de tal forma que se promova uma gestão das águas que atenda às necessidades humanas e proteja a integridade ecológica do ecossistema aquático. Foram identificadas diversas modificações hidrológicas no baixo rio São Francisco no período posterior as construções das barragens entre as quais se destacam: decréscimo nas vazões máximas, médias e mínimas (anuais e mensais), diminuição na disponibilidade hídrica e o fins das cheias naturais com redução das lagoas marginais.

Les fleuves assurent le transport des matières particulaires vers la mer, introduisant ainsi du sable, des nutriments et des contaminants. Les fleuves méditerranéens sont de part leurs caractéristiques (relief accidenté, climat contrasté) naturellement riches en matières en suspension (MES), mais leurs flux sont aujourd’hui largement modifiés par la construction de barrages. Cette étude vise à comprendre la variabilité et l’évolution des apports fluviaux en MES en Méditerranée par une approche multi-échelle : (1) Dans le Golfe du Lion, les flux de MES (et nutriments associés) ont été estimés à long terme grâce à la nouvelle méthode SiRCA (Simplified Rating Curve Approach). La lithologie est le contrôle principal pour la variabilité spatiale de ces flux, ce qui attribue au Rhône le rôle dominant dans les apports totaux (95%). (2) Dans le bassin méditerranéen, une quantification complète des apports par l’ensemble des fleuves a été établie (modélisation empirique) dont 35% de MES sont aujourd’hui retenus dans les grands barrages (GB). (3) Dans le bassin du Maghreb, la retenue sédimentaire par les petits barrages a pu être estimée égale à celle des GB. / Rivers ensure the transport of suspended particulate matter (SPM) to the Sea, introducing sand, nutrients and contaminants. According to their drainange basin characteristics (mountainous relief, contrasting climates), Mediterranean rivers are naturally rich in SPM, but their fluxes are largely altered today because of damming. This study aims to understand the variability and evolution of the riverine SPM inputs to the Mediterranean sea by a multiscale approach. (1) In the Gulf of Lion, total SPM fluxes (and associated nutrients) were estimated on the long term through the development of a new method SiRCA (Simplified Rating Curve Approach). The lithology is the main control for the spatial variability of these fluxes, which attributes to the Rhône River the dominant role in the overall fluxes (95%). (2) In the Mediterranean basin, empirical modeling could be established which allows for the first time a complete quantification of the inputs by all the rivers in this region (997 Mt/an). It also confirms the importance of lithology among the dominant controlling factors. By combining this model with a database of large dams in this region, it has been calculated that about 35% of SPM are today retained behind dams. (3) In the Maghreb basin, finally the role of sediment retention by small dams and hillside reservoirs has been studied. A new database on these reservoirs was created and combined with the database on large dams. This study demonstrates that small dams probably retain the same amount of sediments that large dams.

In the Kingdom of Lesotho, large dams are currently being constructed with the sole purpose of selling water to the Republic of South Africa, in order to earn royalties and to generate electricity for Lesotho. The focus of this study was to investigate the perception of the community on the socio-environmental impacts of Metolong Dam and Reservoir in Lesotho. A qualitative research methodology was adopted and grounded theory was used in collecting data from the study area. Qualitative research techniques used were document analysis, field notes and semi-structured interviews. After conducting an audit which evaluated the accuracy of the initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by comparing actual to predict impacts, it was found that the perceptions of the community on the socio-economic impacts of Metolong project were: the community had poor education due to expensive school fees and their level of education did not help with dynamics on climate for they are complex and not easily to be understood, alcoholism existed due to unemployement, cultural constraints existed dominated by the patriarchal structures on the land and decision making, compensation policy was not honoured by project developers, the project brought benefits and loss of life-support resources, people are unable to grow wheat, beans and peas for their fields are taken and the community experienced loss of building sand that is not addressed. Information obtained helped the study to close the gap which appears not to have been addressed by the Government of Lesotho Department of Water Affairs Lowlands Water Supply Unit, 2008. Results of the study revealed that local villagers in the study area were happy with the project benefits, but they were discontented with the project as they were not incoporated in the management and supervision of the project. Rather, the local villagers were engaged only as labourers. The study recommends that when large dams are constructed, local villages should not be given promises that are dressed with many enticing commitments. The reason is that, communities never asked for the project, but it is set forth authoritatively as obligatory upon them. Project authorities should increase their efforts to fulfil promises made. Not only that, they should have respect, compassion, care and dedication when dealing with affected people. It is in this regard that the Local Based Project Execution and Observation Model is proposed, which will incorporate local villagers in the management steps of all large dam developments within their communities, in order to contend with environmental impacts of large dams. / Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Management)

Im Jahre 1954 verkündete Indiens erster Premierminister Jawaharlal Nehru, dass Staudämme die “Tempel des modernen Indiens” seien. Ausgehend von der These, dass dieser Aussage eine „developmental imagination“ zugrunde liegt, die bis heute ein auffälliges Merkmal vieler Diskurse zu Großprojekten in Indien ist, und dass die Medien eine wichtige Rolle darin spielen, diese Diskurse zu zeichnen, betrachtet die Dissertation die Frage, wie große Wasserinfrastrukturprojekte in der indischen Medienlandschaft dargestellt werden. Um diese Frage zu beantworten, wird in der Dissertation eine Medienanalyse durchgeführt, bei welcher die Berichterstattung zum Indischen River Linking Projekt (NRLP) und zu zwei Vorhaben, die im Rahmen des NRLP stattfinden (Ken-Betwa und Polavaram), im Fokus stehen. Das 168-Milliarden Dollar teure NRLP Projekt ist das weltweit größte sich im Bau befindliche Wasserprojekt und sieht den Bau vieler Staudämme und Verbindungskanäle vor. Kontrovers debattiert wird das NRLP insbesondere in Bezug auf die hohen ökologischen und sozialen Kosten: Nach einer historischen Einbettung des Themas wird die Medienanalyse anhand einer Auswahl an Zeitungs- und Zeitschriftenartikeln aus dem Zeitraum 2000 bis 2016 durchgeführt. Darüber hinaus beinhaltet die Arbeit ein Kapitel, welches sich auf Feldforschung im Polavaram Staudammgebiet bezieht, um Perspektiven, die ansonsten in Mediendiskursen häufig marginalisiert werden, aufzuzeigen; die der von Umsiedelung betroffenen Communities. Die Dissertation zeigt das Kontinuum der „developmental imaginations“ in Indiens Diskursen zu großen Infrastrukturprojekten auf, weist auf die Machthierarchien hin, die ausschlaggebend dafür sind, wem die Möglichkeit zukommt sich überhaupt an Diskursen zu beteiligen, und hebt politische Narrative hervor, die in dem Kontext eine starke Verbindung zu „Nationbuilding“ oder „Statebuilding“ Diskursen aufweisen. / In 1954 India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru proclaimed dams to be the “temples of modern India”. Based on the theses that this “developmental imagination” so visible in Nehru’s statement continues to be a prominent feature in discourses on large scale infrastructure projects in India until today, and that the media plays an important role in shaping these public discourses, the dissertation considers the question of how large scale water infrastructure schemes are covered within the Indian media landscape. To answer that question, a media analysis is conducted which focuses on the reporting on the Indian National River Linking Project (NRLP) and on two schemes being implemented under the NRLP: The Ken-Betwa and the Polavaram Dam Projects. The 168-billion-dollar NRLP project is the world’s largest water project in the making and includes the construction of several dams. It is designed to connect the majority of Indian rivers to a gigantic water grid. It is controversially debated, especially with regard of ecological and social costs. After a historical embedding of the topic, the media analysis is conducted through a choice of magazines and newspapers in a time period from 2000 until 2016. Furthermore, the dissertation incorporates a chapter based on field work in the Polavaram Dam area in order to shed light on perspectives often marginalised in the media discourses: those of the affected communities. The dissertation reveals the continuum of developmental imaginations in the discourses on India’s large scale infrastructure projects until today, points out how power hierarchies are at work with regard to who is able to participate in the discourses and who is not, and highlights narratives closely linked to ideas of nation- or statebuilding that are used by politicians within the media discourses.