Patagonia Book Cracked

In the first two decades of the 21st century, the whole truth about the terrible consequences of the dam-building frenzy was uncovered. What started as a seemingly useful government project has deviated far from its commendable original intent. Authorities have blocked rivers in the reckless hope of turning them into streams of revenue. The main legacy of water control projects is one of unnecessary ecological destruction, which fosters a multitude of equally futile injustices.

Dams, estimated to number 800,000 worldwide, cannot be held solely responsible for the destruction of the logical heritage of the Earth, but their role is significant. Cracked: The Future of Dams in a Hot, Crazy World traces the history of water control: dams, diversions, and canals, as well as the political and power struggles associated with them. The case of the American West reveals that the cost of building and maintaining a vast water storage and distribution system in an arid environment (which is becoming increasingly so with the ravages of climate chaos) far exceeds the benefits. The example of Patagonia and the Blue Heart of Europe shows that a future where rivers flow freely and the Earth can heal is possible.