Three Gorges Reservoir

Half the world's reservoirs could be clogged up with dirt by 2060

Over half of the planet’s freshwater reservoirs will be “functionally dead” by 2060 due to sediment build-up, a study has predicted. Dams block silt, sand and gravel from flowing downstream, so over time this material accumulates in reservoirs, shrinking the space for water. The trapping of sediment can also compromise dam safety and have damaging impacts on downstream ecosystems.