Case 1: In 1994, the Nam Theun-Hinboun hydropower project was approved for construction. The 210 MW run off river dam on the Theun River in central Laos was the first of many hydropower projects planned for this area. Over 5,000 people in the near 25 villages were forced to resettle in other places. The resettled groups suffered from declining nutritional intake, rising sickness and mortality rates. Furthermore, thousands of people living downstream have been affected poorly by the dam as well. The villagers downstream have been impacted by decline in fish catches, flooding of their vegetable gardens, and fresh water shortages. The rural people of Laos rely mainly on wild fisheries as a major source of income and protein. The module gave many examples of the downside of development. I believe this is another example, many groups voiced their concerns about the project and how it would affect the surrounding areas. This project raised issues of environmental justice. The villagers around the area have been affected poorly by the hydropower dam. Similar hydropower projects have revealed the same problems.
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/namtheun.htm
Case 2:
El Niño effects Peru roughly every five to seven years. The major impacts are on farming and fishing industries, which are the back bone of Peru economics. El Niño has been around for thousands of years. During an El Niño year the whole weather system reverses which brings a tropical, rain and low pressure system over Peru. The ocean water in Peru warms up and the fish reproduce in lower number and remain further out to sea. The warmer temperature cause snow to melt in the Andes Mountain which trigger land and mud slides. During the El Niño year Peruvian economy can loses up to 5% of its total income. Peruvian’s are taking steps to minimize the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation. Satellite data can now give warning to when El Niño years will arise. This will let farmers take protective measure and let other people leave their land before it starts to flood. Peru is not a very well developed country. However, they are now taking step to become more developed and be able to sustain their everyday life even in an El Niño year.
Click to access ElNinoanddevelopmentinPeru.pdf
My hometown of Pittsburgh is affected by both of these case studies. The two case studies are very different. The first case study about the hydropower dam shows how development can have bad consequences. The second case study shows that with development even in an under developed country is possible with the right tools. I believe Pittsburgh could benefit from a hydropower dam. However, after reading this case study the effects of the dam would need to be researched thoroughly. The location of the dam would be key to where, who and how it affects the surrounding area and people. Pittsburgh is currently having a very odd winter cause by El Niño. The El Niño weather patterns cause Pittsburgh to have a warmer winter. The case study showed how the next El Niño year would be predicted. Pittsburgh could benefit if an El Niño year was predicted by preparing for a warm winter. For an example, construction projects would be able to be continued throughout winter, cause less layoffs and less overall delays in the project.
Source:
http://www.wpxi.com/news/weather/11-things-know-about-el-nino-2015-16/nnNgS/
Hi Katy my name is Ryan and this the link to my blog entry is here: http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/02/25/case-study-module-5/ I viewed cases about a pipeline being built in Africa and the health of the poor in Mexico and how it effects them. I replied to your blog because you talked about a hydropower plant and we are both from the Pittsburgh area. I found that the presence of one plant can affect an entire village, like the one in Laos, very interesting. Also, how El Nino effected a country’s income very fascinating and it never dawned on me that it could have that large of an effect. I did notice that Pittsburgh had a warmer winter and like your idea of preparing for it by having construction projects work through the winter instead of halting work.