Comparative Analysis of Capacities and Vulnerabilities for Dam-Induced Flooding: The Case of Akosombo Dam in Ghana and the Mactaquac Dam in Canada

Abstract

The Akosombo Dam Project and the Mactaquac Development Project can be traced to the Tennessee Valley Authority which are large-scale multipurpose river development projects initiated to assist with industrialization. While the cost of such infrastructure projects may be considered to be high at the initial stage, other challenges such as dam floods leading to the displacement of downstream communities are recognized as some of the dangers associated with such large-scale infrastructure projects. Infrastructure destruction, health hazards, agriculture impact, and social changes are also associated with dam floods. The study revealed that while flooding has become a major challenge for the construction of these two dams, future projects should engage in comprehensive analysis of the whole project before its implementation. It is also useful for future projects to make use of renewable energy sources rather than relying on such dam construction which has the possibility of flooding due to climate change.