The boom will double the global electricity production from hydropower and would also cause a serious threat to freshwater biodiversity.
The new database provides a critical basis in order to support sustainable modes of electricity production.
University of Tubingen professor Dr Christiane Zarfl said: "Hydropower is an integrated part of transitioning to renewable energy and currently the largest contributor of renewable electricity.
"However, it is vital that hydropower dams do not create a new problem for the biodiversity in the world’s freshwater systems, due to fragmentation and the expected changes in the flow and sediment regime.
"That is why we have compiled available data on future expected hydropower dams – to form a key foundation for evaluating where and how to build the dams and how to operate them sustainably."
The Ganges-Brahmaputra basin in India and Nepal as well as the Yangtze basin in China are expected to have the highest dam constructions in Asia.
IGB head Dr Klement Tockner said: "When building new dams, it is important to follow a systematic management approach that considers the ecological, social, and economic consequences of multiple dams within a river basin."
"We expect to launch the database in BioFresh, the platform for global freshwater biodiversity and hope to see our results as a valuable reference basis for scientists and decision makers in supporting sustainable hydropower development," Zarfl said.
Renewables account for 20% of the global electricity production while hydropower contributes 80% of the total share.
Within the next two decades, approximately 3,700 major dams may double the total electricity capacity of hydropower to 1,700 GW.
Dr. Zarfl with colleagues from Berlin and Osnabrück conducted the study at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin.
