LARGE DAMS(1,9):
The construction of dams for hydroelectric power causes the following effects:
1. Destroys the forest and uproots indigenous people, destroying both
their land and their culture in the process.
2. Increases the rate of waterborne diseases rapidly.
3. Damages downstream ecosystems by trapping silt and thus depriving
them of valuable nutrients. This reduced silt in the soil also leads
to coastal erosion.
4. Dams power irrigation projects which lead to salination of soils,
which in turn disrupts the soil profile of the rainforest.
5. Dams also power industrial projects in the Amazon, and this leads to
more water and air pollution.
6. Sometimes, though rarely, the sheer weight of water in dams can
lead to earthquakes.
MINING(9):
Mining also plays a part in the destruction of rainforest, albeit it is
small compared to logging and agricultural effects.
1. Direct forest loss results due to the need to set up the mining
projects.
2. Displaces indigenous people.
3. Severe land, air and water pollution results from the use of mining
machinery.
