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2. Impacts

Water resource development projects can have negative environmental impacts if they are not carefully managed

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Agricultural development on the floodplains of rivers had its environmental disadvantages as well as advantages. The land was typically fertile, well watered and easy to cultivate with simple tools. However, in some areas dams were built for irrigation in order to intensify agricultural productivity without adequate regard for drainage factors. Surface evaporation of irrigation water caused a residue of salt to be deposited, which destroyed soil fertility. The irrigation infrastructure itself has also sometimes been jeopardised by accelerated flooding and erosion from sloping land in the river catchment where forests have been cleared.

How can irrigation adversely affect the local environment?