From dry land to water: psychosocial impact on the lakeside villages of the Alqueva dam

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study focus on the psychosocial impact of the Alqueva dam on state-anxiety, residential satisfaction and place identity of the inhabitants of four villages: Luz (forced to relocate), Estrela (whose village became a peninsula), Amieira (whose village became a peninsula with a marina) and Monsaraz (whose village started overlooking water). Psychosocial impact was analysed as a function of village and time. As expected, Luz evidenced the most negative psychosocial impact, as inhabitants showed higher anxiety, lower residential satisfaction towards village and house and lower place identity. Results also evidence how changes in the immediate surroundings and landscape have significant psychosocial impact. Cross-sectional measures taken with a six-year interval evidenced no changes in time. Perceived public engagement, in particular perceived public communication and consultation, was related to greater adaptation in Luz, its role being discussed as a coping strategy. Results stress the need to manage the psychosocial impact of large projects.