Dataset Open Access
Global Dam Tracker: A database of more than 35,000 dams with location, catchment, and attribute information
Zhang, Alice Tianbo;
Gu, Vincent Xinyi
Citation
Zhang, Alice Tianbo, and Vincent Xinyi Gu. 2023. “Global Dam Tracker: A Database of More than 35,000 Dams with Location, Catchment, and Attribute Information.” Scientific Data 10 (1): 111.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-023-02008-2
Description
We present one of the most comprehensive geo-referenced global dam databases to date. The Global Dam Tracker (GDAT) contains 35,000 dams with cross-validated geo-coordinates, satellite-derived catchment areas, and detailed attribute information. Combining GDAT with fine-scaled satellite data spanning three decades, we demonstrate how GDAT improves upon existing databases to enable the inter-temporal analysis of the costs and benefits of dam construction on a global scale. Our findings show that over the past three decades, dams have contributed to a dramatic increase in global surface water coverage, especially in developing countries in Asia and South America. This is an important step toward a more systematic understanding of the worldwide impact of dams on local communities. By filling in the data gap, GDAT would help inform a more sustainable and equitable approach to energy access and economic development.
| Name | Size | |
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GDAT_data_v1.zip
md5:b16d1bc4fd88fa2d39f176b45bf4d3ed |
14.3 MB | Download |
| All versions | This version | |
|---|---|---|
| Views | 537 | 537 |
| Downloads | 242 | 242 |
| Data volume | 3.5 GB | 3.5 GB |
| Unique views | 468 | 468 |
| Unique downloads | 221 | 221 |
- Publication date:
- February 7, 2023
- DOI:
-
- Keyword(s):
- Global Dam Tracker (GDAT) Dams Catchments Energy Policy
- Published in:
- Scientific Data: 10 pp. 111 (1).
- Related identifiers:
- Published in
- 10.1038/s41597-023-02008-2 (Journal article)
- License (for files):
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International