CASE STUDY: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF BELO MONTE HYDROPOWER PLANT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/revgeov17n4-222Keywords:
Hydropower, Environmental Impacts, Belo Monte, Xingu River, Habitat Loss, Ecosystem Fragmentation, Hydrological Alteration, Population Displacement, Environmental AssessmentAbstract
The expansion of large-scale hydropower projects in the Brazilian Amazon has raised significant scientific and environmental concerns due to their extensive socio-environmental impacts. This study presents an integrated assessment of the environmental impacts associated with the Belo Monte Hydropower Plant, located in the Xingu River basin, Pará State, Brazil. The analysis encompasses physical, biotic, and socioeconomic components, based on secondary data from official reports and peer-reviewed literature. Impact evaluation was conducted using criteria of spatial scale, temporal duration, and reversibility, supported by a structured environmental valuation framework. Results indicate that the most significant impacts are related to hydrological regime alteration, habitat loss, ecosystem fragmentation, and population displacement. The reduction of river flow in the Volta Grande do Xingu is identified as a critical driver of ecological degradation. Socioeconomic effects include unplanned urban growth, increased pressure on infrastructure, and disruption of traditional livelihoods. Overall, the findings reveal a predominance of high-magnitude, long-term, and largely irreversible negative impacts, highlighting the need for improved strategic environmental planning and more robust impact assessment approaches in large-scale infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive regions.
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