Biodemographic alterations derived from reservoir building in a rural settlement in Spain

The building of dams to collect water for hydroelectricity and irrigation brings about environmental alterations and hence the appearance of a new ecosystem. These changes affect the human environment and result in demographic, social and economic alterations of the original settlements. In the mountainous regions of Palencia in the north of Spain, three dams have been built this century. This paper analyses the biodemographic modifications in the settlement directly affected by the construction of these dams, and compares it with nearby control settlements with similar demographic and social structure, in order to establish the effects of the flooding of extensive areas.