Carson Lyness
University of Puget Sound
Project
Of Rivers, People, and Dams: An Exploration of River Conservation
Ecuador, Uganda, Albania
Rivers play many roles -- homes, transportation, natural resources, ecosystems, and places for recreation -- roles which often come into conflict. Dams exemplify the tensions surrounding river issues. They are built to provide energy and development, yet villages and ecosystems are often flooded and unique river systems lost. On the Watson, I will travel to areas with dam projects in different stages of development: the Río Samana in Colombia and the Vjosa River in Albania where major dams are proposed, Ecuador where dams are stalled on the Río Jondachi, and Uganda where the Nile River is currently being dammed. My goal is to listen and learn from locals, government officials, river conservation activists, and dam builders to gain a full understanding of how opposing, yet legitimate perspectives interact.