OREANDA-NEWS. June 20, 2012. Participants of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) 24th Congress in Kyoto signed a "World Declaration on Water Storage for Sustainable Development". The Document emphasizes the importance of dams and reservoirs for sustainable social and economic development.

The signers underline that creation of large dams and water storages allows to solve the problem of floods and droughts, to organize irrigation for food production, to supply population with drinking water, to expand navigation and to cope with environmental problems.

Water storage infrastructure is also a key to green energy. As it is stated in the Document, today only 30% of the world's identified hydropower potential has been developed. But transforming this potential into reality would save extraordinary amounts of fossil fuel, reduce greenhouse gas emissions substantially and improve the management of water resources. The authors of the Declaration also underline that flexibility of hydropower is fundamental in matching electricity services with demand and contributes to the development of other intermittent sources of electricity production such as solar and wind, which are less flexible.

The Document was drafted and approved by a number of leading world organizations in the field of water management, including: International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), International Hydropower Association (IHA) and International Water Resources Association (IWRA). RusHydro Company also took part in drafting of the Declaration.

The Congress called for joint efforts to develop water storage infrastructure, including large dams and water storages.

ICOLD is the non-governmental international organization arranging forums for exchange of professional knowledge of design, construction and maintenance of large dams. Safe, efficient and environmental friendly development of dams is a priority of the organization.