The ADN mission is to build capacity for the advancement of inter- and transdisciplinary research on the social-ecological impacts of hydroelectric dam construction in the Amazon. The network aims to synthesize and share lessons learned from hydroelectric dam implementation in the Amazon and the United States focusing on an adaptive management approach within the complex social-ecological systems (SES) theory.

The geographical focus includes the Tocantins, Madeira and Xingu River watersheds in the Amazon, and the Colorado River watershed in the US, specifically focusing on the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (GCDAMP).