Wildlife in some areas, where dams are created, are indigenous and undisturbed by the effects of cars and mass populations. Though, clearing methods used do not support keeping these environments intact.
The use of explosives adds to the irreversible effects that change the landscape to better suit dam building. There can be a need for massive amounts of explosives if the site has obstacles such as mountains or canyons preventing construction of the dam or transportation of the materials.
Figure One: Deep Creek Dam; Yadkinville, North Carolina; Reservoir Land Clearing (207 acres)
Bulldozing and mass clearing, another method used to clear land, operates on fossil fuel run machinery. Not only does it destroy the land but, the machinery pollutes the air with CO2 and other emissions from the vehicles. Companies often claim that they reforest damaged lands; however, plant species in these new forests are often mono or foreign. These mono-diverse or exotic habitats disrupt local species, both flora and fauna.