what are dams and reservoirs used for?
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Reservoirs and dams. Reservoirs are human-made lakes created by the damming of rivers to serve one or more purposes, such as hydropower production, water supply for drinking, irrigation and flood protection. The construction of reservoirs in Europe can be illustrated using the UK and Spain as examples.
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Many dams are built for more than one purpose; for example, water in a single reservoir can be used for fishing, to generate hydroelectric power, and to support an irrigation system. Water-control structures of this type are often designated multipurpose dams.
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English Essay on "Importance of Dams" The dams are actually a kind of wall which are constructed to stop the flow of water from rivers. This process helps in storage of water, the water which is stored with the help of dams can be used for many purposes. ... These dams are also helpful in producing electricity.
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Dams are built to control and store water. Dams are made from earth, stacked rock or concrete, and are usually constructed across rivers to store water in the reservoir that is formed behind the dam as a result of the river being blocked.
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Dams built along a river to create lakes for irrigation and the production of hydroelectric power (electricity produced from energy of running water) in one country reduce the amount of water available to other countries located further downstream.
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Multipurpose river valley projects are basically designed for the development of irrigation for agriculture and electricity through the construction of dams. Initially, dams were built only for storing rain water to prevent flooding but now it became multipurpose.
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Dams have a great deal of positive and negative effects on the environment be- sides their benefits like controlling stream regimes, consequently preventing floods, obtaining domestic and irrigation water from the stored water and generating en- ergy. ... Nearly 700 dams were built every ten years up to 1950s.
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The dam creates a large reservoir and the powerhouse is where the electricity is generated. ... It is interesting to note that a hydroelectric dam creates no harmful byproducts and relies entirely on natural forces to produce electricity. After the turbine stage, water flows out through a second channel and into a river.
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Hydroelectric Dams – The Good and Bad. Hydroelectric dams are among the greenest and most affordable electricity sources in the world—and by far the most widely used renewable energy sources—but they also take a heavy environmental toll in the form of compromised landscapes, ecosystems and fisheries.
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There are three types of hydropower facilities: impoundment, diversion, and pumped storage. Some hydropower plants use dams and some do not.
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This is called hydroelectric power or hydropower. The most common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir. Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn activates a generator to produce electricity.
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Hydroelectric dams produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide and methane, and in some cases produce more of these greenhouse gases than power plants running on fossil fuels. Carbon emissions vary from dam to dam, says Philip Fearnside from Brazil's National Institute for Research in the Amazon in Manaus.
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Diverting the river A dam is usually constructed across a river to create a reservoir in the valley behind by storing the water that flows into it naturally. ... Sometimes, dams are built across wide rivers with large volumes of flowing water.
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What is a dam? A dam is defined as a barrier or structure across a stream, river or waterway to confine and then control the flow of water. Dams vary in size from small earth embankments, often for farm use, to high massive concrete structures generally used for water supply, hydropower and irrigation.
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Many dam-walled bodies of water serve dual purpose as recreation areas, and it is relatively safe to swim in areas of said manmade lakes designated for public use. However, the area immediately adjacent to the dam itself is NOT safe for recreational swimming and boating.
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You can build a dam to provide drinking water, recreation, flood control, power generation or a small dam for livestock. The advantage of each also has some possible disadvantages.
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Key Words: Dam, environment, ecology, water resources. ... Dams have a great deal of positive and negative effects on the environment be- sides their benefits like controlling stream regimes, consequently preventing floods, obtaining domestic and irrigation water from the stored water and generating en- ergy.