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Hydro Electric Power

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Hydroelectric power: The World's Established Renewable Energy Resource For over a century, hydroelectric power has been used to generate electricity from falling water. The capacity to produce this energy is dependent on both the available flow and the height from which it falls. Hydroelectric dams create height for the water to fall and provide storage. In general, the higher the dam, the more potential energy is available. Building up behind a high dam, water accumulates potential energy. The potential energy is then converted to kinetic energy where it can perform work to power a generator. Hydroelectric power can come in many forms, such as utilizing oceanic waves and currents, shoreline waves, and tidal energy. However, I would …show more content…

Industries and product processing are able to utilize the water stored by reservoirs. Reservoirs alls provide for recreational activities, which can boost local economies. Dams can minimize the risk of flooding by reducing the peak flows and providing more time for downstream notification. Conversely, the storage of water in reservoirs can also pose a great risk to nearby communities in the event that the dam integrity fails. The most environmentally damaging aspect of reservoirs is habitat loss. A river habitat is very different from a reservoir habitat. The flooding of a river system to create a reservoir destroys forests, human habitat, spawning routes, and animal habitats. Suspended soils, logs and debris may settle out of the water as it slows down. Shoreline erosion can increase the sediment load and increase turbidity of the water. Sedimentation, if left unchecked, can leave a dam rendered useless. Sedimentation and habitat loss are not nearly the worst result of reservoir production. Methyl mercury levels in aquatic life can be an important potential impact of reservoirs. When soil and vegetation are submerged they decompose. Inorganic mercury may then be converted to methyl mercury where it is more likely to be consumed by organisms where it may concentrate as it moves up the food chain. This affect is not permanent however, and is only due to the initial flooding of the

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