Abstract
In this study, we analyzed the relationship between how a community views reservoir construction and the plan for local development around it. Specifically, we focused on the social perception of the Mucharz reservoir in Poland. The research hypothesis assumed that residents’ expectations of socioeconomic development around the reservoir dam determined whether they were satisfied with the project. Fifty-nine in-depth interviews with residents of villages adjacent to the newly created dam facility were conducted. The resulting data were analyzed using text mining methods. We identified three groups of people who perceived the reservoir in different ways. Most respondents perceived the reservoir positively, mostly because of economic benefits from investments, including job creation or intensive tourism development. However, these issues do not always determine whether a local community perceives a dam project positively.