Building a large dam: identifying the relationship between catchment area and slope using the confidence ellipse approach

Abstract With the population projections indicating continued growth during this century, construction of large dams can be considered as one best available options to meet future increases in water, food, and energy demands. While there are reports that thousands will built near future, a key question is: what appropriate conditions for selecting sites these dams? The site dam should carefully evaluated based on many factors, such socioeconomic development, water resources availability, topographic characteristics, environmental impacts. This study aims partly address above through identifying relationship between two characteristics (i.e., catchment area slope) river reach build 30-m-resolution global drainage networks. information about 2815 existing from Global Reservoir Dam (GRanD) database is collected analysis. confidence ellipse approach introduced establish quantitative variables, which then used evaluate selection perspective characteristics. results show that: (1) each well correspond nearest networks (2) logarithmic values slope described by ellipse, obtained means, standard deviations, Pearson correlation coefficients variables. outcomes great value policymakers have more comprehensive understanding development future.