In the hills above Acapulco, Ernesto Zapata hopes the Roman-style baths his family is improving will become a tourist attraction. Fed by natural hot springs and surrounded by fruit trees, the baths are intended as a refuge for residents of the big city on the bay. “This could be an ecotourist project,” Zapata says. But if Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) gets its way, Zapata’s land could be submerged under flood waters from the planned La Parota Dam. The 765-megawatt hydropower complex, featuring a dam that would rise 486 feet (148 meters) over a site on the Papagayo River about 17 miles (27 kms) from Acapulco, would provide electricity and water for Acapulco and surrounding communities. According to the CFE, the five-year... [Log in to read more]