Dams and irrigation projects are constructed for multiple purposes, including generating electricity, controlling floods, and providing irrigation.

Dams and irrigation projects can have a range of negative impacts on cultural heritage, including inundating and destroying cultural sites, altering the flow of rivers and disrupting traditional practices, and displacing communities and disrupting their cultural traditions.

The Abu Simbel temples in Egypt were relocated to higher ground to protect them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser, which was created by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

The negative impacts of dams and irrigation projects on cultural heritage can be mitigated through a combination of measures, including conducting cultural heritage impact assessments prior to construction, relocating cultural sites to higher ground, and providing compensation to affected communities.

International organizations play a crucial role in protecting cultural heritage from the impacts of dams and irrigation projects by providing funding for cultural heritage preservation projects, developing guidelines and standards for cultural heritage impact assessments, and advocating for the protection of cultural heritage in international forums.

All of the above examples are successful efforts to protect cultural heritage from the impacts of dams or irrigation projects. The relocation of the Abu Simbel temples in Egypt, the construction of a cofferdam to protect the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, and the establishment of a cultural heritage management plan for the Three Gorges Dam in China are all examples of effective measures that have been taken to protect cultural heritage from the negative impacts of these projects.

There are a number of challenges in protecting cultural heritage from the impacts of dams and irrigation projects, including lack of awareness of the importance of cultural heritage, insufficient funding for cultural heritage preservation projects, and political and economic pressures to prioritize development projects over cultural heritage protection.

Local communities play a crucial role in protecting cultural heritage from the impacts of dams and irrigation projects. They can provide valuable information about cultural heritage sites and practices, participate in the planning and implementation of cultural heritage preservation projects, and monitor and report on the impacts of dams and irrigation projects on cultural heritage.

The best practices for protecting cultural heritage from the impacts of dams and irrigation projects include conducting cultural heritage impact assessments prior to construction, developing and implementing cultural heritage management plans, and providing compensation to affected communities.

Protecting cultural heritage from the impacts of dams and irrigation projects is important because cultural heritage is a valuable part of our shared history and identity, it can contribute to sustainable development, and it can promote tourism and economic development.