Resource information
Improved Planning of Large Dam Operation: Using Decision Support Systems to Optimize
Livelihood Benefits, Safeguard Health and Protect the Environment. This project was undertaken
with the aim of providing information to assist policy-makers, water resource managers and other
interested stakeholders in the planning and management of large dams in Africa. The project
highlighted the importance of considering environmental and social (including health) issues in
dam planning and operation and illustrated how contemporary Decision Support Systems can be
used to assist decision making processes. Key project findings relate to: i) the importance of
stakeholder involvement in decision-making and how to enhance it; ii) the effectiveness of EIA
follow-up; iii) the malaria implications of large dam construction; iv) the simulation of
environmental impacts of large dam development and v) estimates of environmental flows.
Guidelines on the use of DSS for key aspects of dam planning and operation have been developed.