Table 3.

Summary of dam impacts

Overall summary of impacts
Infrastructure	Livelihoods	Community
Decreased flooding both upstream and downstream Increased capacity for water storage in dam reservoirs	Decreased fish stocks both upstream and downstream Increased seasonal water availability for irrigation upstream.	Upstream-downstream water allocation is inequitable, generating conflict Lack of rules and institutions to govern water allocation with demise of Muang Fai
Upstream
Increased access to irrigation water	Increased seasonal water availability, enabling dry season rice farming by 11 of 14 respondents 10 of 13 respondents are ‘better off’ overall with the dams 9 of 13 respondents reported increased incomes since the dams were built	Increase in water conflict, attributed to downstream impatience, water theft, and failure to follow water-sharing agreements
Downstream
Inadequate access to irrigation water.	Inadequate seasonal water availability, with only 4 of 10 respondents undertake dry season rice farming 4 of 10 respondents are ‘better off’ overall with the dams 3 of these 4 reported increased incomes since the dams were built	Increase in water conflict, attributed to over-abstraction of water and water theft upstream