Issue identification module: introduction | social issues | historical issues | aesthetic issues | economic issues | legal and land-use issues | engineering issues | fish, wildlife, and environmental issues | summary | appendixes

Introduction

To make a good decision about the future of a dam in your community, numerous factors should be considered. These factors can be grouped into seven categories: social, historical, aesthetic, economic, legal and land use, engineering, and fish, wildlife, and environmental factors.

Under each category several questions need to be answered and several issues need to be considered. One approach to deal with this task is through a checklist. We have included a checklist for each of the categories, followed by a list of resources (a toolbox) for finding the answers.

The issues raised in each of the seven categories are closely intertwined. You’ll quickly find that answering one question can help you answer other questions more completely and accurately. Gathering these answers will result in a well rounded understanding of the dam repair and removal options in your community.

The checklist questions have been compiled from interviews and correspondence with various groups (on both sides of the repair/removal issue) that have had experiences with the dam decision-making process. The questions are designed to help your community gauge the scope and breadth of the decision being faced and determine what information you need to make an informed decision and how you can get this information.

Next section: Social issues

URL: http://www.ies.wisc.edu/research/wrm00/issueid.htm