6.9 Hydroelectric Power

2 min read•june 18, 2024

Karla Jauregui Sandoval

AP Environmental Science ♻️

252 resources

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Hydropower is energy that comes from a turbine that produces energy from the movement of bodies of water.

There are two ways to generate hydroelectric power: dams and tidal waves.

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How it works 🌊

Dams are built on rivers where the terrain will produce an artificial lake or reservoir.

As the water is released from the reservoir, it flows through a pipe and falls to a lower elevation, which generates kinetic energy. This kinetic energy is used to turn a turbine, which generates electricity. The electricity is then sent to a generator, where it is converted into an electrical current that can be used to power homes, businesses, and other buildings.

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits 👍🏻	Drawbacks 👎🏻
Water is a renewable source that is found everywhere, often moving Flood control below the dam Source of irrigation to croplands Does not release chemical or gas pollutant	Costly Sedimentation ➱ Accumulation of sediment and toxins behind the dam Human Displacement ➱ the placement of dams can affect indigenous land, violating their rights Ecosystem Destruction ➱ affects fish migration patterns because dam blocks path

Important Dams to Know

Hoover Dam ➱ provides flood control, water and irrigation for industrial and domestic use as well as hydroelectric power
Grand Coulee ➱ Largest hydropower producer in the USA
Three Gorges Dam ➱ Controls flood and provides power. Causing landslides and erosion of reservoirs downstream

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