Territorial and Spatial Effects of Dams

Abstract

This chapter presents the history of hydroelectricity and the construction of hydroelectric dams in Brazil. In this chapter, we analyze the important position of hydroelectricity and its role in society in order to understand the Brazilian energy system. The relationship between the political arena and the energy sector is complex, and the connections, which can be strong but not necessarily official, are at times questionable. We will try to understand how this relationship was built and how it influences other stakeholders. A few dams have marked the course of history, and we will look at their influences and impacts on society and territories. These dams deeply mark the territory at different levels, local, regional, and global, and their impacts vary according to the perspective. Dams leave their deepest marks on the landscapes, which have been permanently modified throughout the country and in all environments. Dams have become an integral part of society and the Brazilian territory, and we will see here at what levels and to what extent.