Some analysts in Srinagar talk of over 60 dam projects, large and small, now on the books.

ECONOMIST: South Asia��s water

Ironically, while Asian carp are spreading rapidly in the U.S., they're declining in China, where dam projects are reducing their habitat.

WSJ: Asian carp spawning areas wider than expected

Whether the present dam projects go ahead or not, there is little doubt the area could see these kinds of developments in the future.

BBC: Chile��s land of ice-blue lakes

The growth of hydro generation over the last five years is equal to all the other renewable technologies combined, mainly because of the immense Chinese dam projects.

FORBES: International Energy Agency (Finally) Acknowledges Ascent of Renewable Energy Market

In terms of mining investment, while the cancellation or delay of Olympic Dam mine expansion by BHP Billiton indicates that projects under consideration have probably peaked, this does not mean that the mining investment boom is over.

BBC: Viewpoint: Is Australia's resources boom over?

The biggest dam enthusiast of all is dirt-poor Laos, which hopes to enrich itself by building enough hydropower projects to become the battery of South-East Asia.

ECONOMIST: The Mekong river