Hydroelectric dam - Revision history

Jmdonev at 21:20, 22 October 2021

2021-10-22T21:20:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:20, 22 October 2021
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	[[Category:Translated to French]]		[[Category:Translated to French]]
	[[fr:Installation hydroélectrique]]		[[fr:Installation hydroélectrique]]
	~~'''Luisa, I've made some minor changes to this page. How does this read to you? - Jason'''~~

	[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]
	<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate [[flood]]ing.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref> In some rivers, small scale dams known as [[weir]]s are built to control and measure water flow.		<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate [[flood]]ing.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref> In some rivers, small scale dams known as [[weir]]s are built to control and measure water flow.

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2021-09-27T00:03:15Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 00:03, 27 September 2021
(No difference)

energy>Ethan.boechler at 16:34, 13 September 2021

2021-09-13T16:34:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:34, 13 September 2021
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	[[Category:~~Done 2018-05-18~~]]		[[Category:Luisa wait]]
			[[Category:Translated to French]]
			[[fr:Installation hydroélectrique]]
			'''Luisa, I've made some minor changes to this page. How does this read to you? - Jason'''

	[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]
	<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate [[flood]]ing.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref> In some rivers, small scale dams known as [[weir]]s are built to control and measure water flow.		<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate [[flood]]ing.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref> In some rivers, small scale dams known as [[weir]]s are built to control and measure water flow.

	Dams ~~fall into the category~~ of retaining ~~structures~~, or structures ~~that are~~ built to create large standing bodies of water known as [[hydroelectric reservoir\|reservoirs]]. These reservoirs can be used for irrigation, [[electricity generation\|electrical generation]], or water supply. These structures are built on top of riverbeds and hold back water, raising the water level. Dikes can be built along with the dam to increase the dams effectiveness by preventing water from leaving the reservoir through secondary routes.<ref>Hydro Quebec. (September 1, 2015). ''Retaining Structures'' [Online]. Available: http://www.hydroquebec.com/learning/hydroelectricite/ouvrages-retenue.html</ref>		Dams are a type of [[retaining structure]], which are structures built to create large standing bodies of water known as [[hydroelectric reservoir\|reservoirs]]. These reservoirs can be used for irrigation, [[electricity generation\|electrical generation]], or water supply. These structures are built on top of riverbeds and hold back water, raising the water level. Dikes can be built along with the dam to increase the dams effectiveness by preventing water from leaving the reservoir through secondary routes.<ref>Hydro Quebec. (September 1, 2015). ''Retaining Structures'' [Online]. Available: http://www.hydroquebec.com/learning/hydroelectricite/ouvrages-retenue.html</ref>

	Dams can range from relatively small to extremely large structures. The highest dam in the United states is located near Oroville, California and stands at 230 [[meter]]s tall and 1.6 [[kilometer]]s across.<ref name="re1"/> The largest dam in the world is the Jinping dam on the Yalong river in China, standing at 305 meters tall. In Canada, there are more than 10 000 dams, with 933 categorized as being large dams.<ref>Canadian Dam Association. (December 29, 2015). ''Dams in Canada'' [Online]. Available: http://www.imis100ca1.ca/cda/main/dams_in_canada/dams_in_canada/cda/dams_in_canada.aspx?hkey=2f98be19-d947-4aa2-9b2e-16a5202fe919</ref> The tallest dam in Canada is the Mica dam, on the Columbia river, standing at 243 meters tall. Another notable Canadian dam is the W.A.C Bennett dam on the Peace river, notable for its large reservoir volume of 7.4 x 10<sup>9</sup> cubic meters and height of 190.5 meters.		Dams can range from relatively small to extremely large structures. The highest dam in the United states is located near Oroville, California and stands at 230 [[meter]]s tall and 1.6 [[kilometer]]s across.<ref name="re1"/> The largest dam in the world is the Jinping dam on the Yalong river in China, standing at 305 meters tall. In Canada, there are more than 10 000 dams, with 933 categorized as being large dams.<ref>Canadian Dam Association. (December 29, 2015). ''Dams in Canada'' [Online]. Available: http://www.imis100ca1.ca/cda/main/dams_in_canada/dams_in_canada/cda/dams_in_canada.aspx?hkey=2f98be19-d947-4aa2-9b2e-16a5202fe919</ref> The tallest dam in Canada is the Mica dam, on the Columbia river, standing at 243 meters tall. Another notable Canadian dam is the W.A.C Bennett dam on the Peace river, notable for its large reservoir volume of 7.4 x 10<sup>9</sup> cubic meters and height of 190.5 meters.

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2018-05-18T22:53:09Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 22:53, 18 May 2018
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Jmdonev at 21:25, 11 May 2018

2018-05-11T21:25:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:25, 11 May 2018
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	[[Category:Done ~~2016~~-01-15]]		[[Category:Done 2018-05-18]]
	[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]
	<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate [[flood]]ing.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref> In some rivers, small scale dams known as [[weir]]s are built to control and measure water flow.		<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate [[flood]]ing.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref> In some rivers, small scale dams known as [[weir]]s are built to control and measure water flow.

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2016-02-18T04:31:15Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 04:31, 18 February 2016
(No difference)

Jmdonev at 20:07, 31 December 2015

2015-12-31T20:07:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:07, 31 December 2015
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	[[Category:Done ~~2015~~-09-05]]		[[Category:Done 2016-01-15]]
	[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg\|360px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]
			<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate [[flood]]ing.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref> In some rivers, small scale dams known as [[weir]]s are built to control and measure water flow.
	<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower\|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate ~~flooding~~.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref>

	Dams fall into the category of retaining structures, or structures that are built to create large standing bodies of water known as [[hydroelectric reservoir\|reservoirs]]. These reservoirs can be used for irrigation, [[electricity generation\|electrical generation]], or water supply. These structures are built on top of riverbeds and hold back water, raising the water level. Dikes can be built along with the dam to increase the dams effectiveness by preventing water from leaving the reservoir through secondary routes.<ref>Hydro Quebec. (September 1, 2015). ''Retaining Structures'' [Online]. Available: http://www.hydroquebec.com/learning/hydroelectricite/ouvrages-retenue.html</ref>		Dams fall into the category of retaining structures, or structures that are built to create large standing bodies of water known as [[hydroelectric reservoir\|reservoirs]]. These reservoirs can be used for irrigation, [[electricity generation\|electrical generation]], or water supply. These structures are built on top of riverbeds and hold back water, raising the water level. Dikes can be built along with the dam to increase the dams effectiveness by preventing water from leaving the reservoir through secondary routes.<ref>Hydro Quebec. (September 1, 2015). ''Retaining Structures'' [Online]. Available: http://www.hydroquebec.com/learning/hydroelectricite/ouvrages-retenue.html</ref>

	Dams can be relatively small or extremely large structures. The highest dam in the United states is located near Oroville, California and stands at 230 [[meter]]s tall and 1.6 [[kilometer]]s across. The largest dam in the world is the ~~Nurek~~ dam in ~~Tajikistan~~, at ~~around 300~~ meters tall.<ref ~~name~~=~~"re1"~~/>		Dams can range from relatively small to extremely large structures. The highest dam in the United states is located near Oroville, California and stands at 230 [[meter]]s tall and 1.6 [[kilometer]]s across.<ref name="re1"/> The largest dam in the world is the Jinping dam on the Yalong river in China, standing at 305 meters tall. In Canada, there are more than 10 000 dams, with 933 categorized as being large dams.<ref>Canadian Dam Association. (December 29, 2015). ''Dams in Canada'' [Online]. Available: http://www.imis100ca1.ca/cda/main/dams_in_canada/dams_in_canada/cda/dams_in_canada.aspx?hkey=2f98be19-d947-4aa2-9b2e-16a5202fe919</ref> The tallest dam in Canada is the Mica dam, on the Columbia river, standing at 243 meters tall. Another notable Canadian dam is the W.A.C Bennett dam on the Peace river, notable for its large reservoir volume of 7.4 x 10<sup>9</sup> cubic meters and height of 190.5 meters.

	==Construction==		==Construction==
	The construction of these dams is difficult and labour intensive. Before construction begins, water is diverted or prevented from moving through the construction site. After water is diverted, the foundation area is cleaned, excavated, and rock that will act as the foundation is repaired and deemed solid. This is done to ensure rock ~~wont fracture~~ as a result of the load of the dam and reservoir. Supports known as rock bolts may be used to strengthen the foundation. Above the dam, rock bolts and netting may be used to prevent rocks from falling on the dam. Forms are then built along the edges of the dam, rebar is placed inside, and concrete is pumped in. This is done in sections, and the concrete is poured bit by bit in a block formation. Once enough of the dam is built, the reservoir is allowed to fill in a highly controlled manner. The dam is monitored during this process. Other structures that make the dam operational are then added.<ref>Made How. (September 1, 2015). ''How Concrete Dams are Made'' [Online]. Available: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Concrete-Dam.html</ref>		The construction of these dams is difficult and labour intensive. Before construction begins, water is diverted or prevented from moving through the construction site. After water is diverted, the foundation area is cleaned, excavated, and rock or sediments that will act as the foundation are repaired and deemed solid. This is done to ensure the rock or sediments won't shift or fail as a result of the load of the dam and reservoir. Supports known as rock bolts may be used to strengthen the foundation. Above the dam, rock bolts and netting may be used to prevent rocks from falling on the dam. Forms are then built along the edges of the dam, rebar is placed inside, and concrete is pumped in. This is done in sections, and the concrete is poured bit by bit in a block formation. Once enough of the dam is built, the reservoir is allowed to fill in a highly controlled manner. The dam is monitored during this process. Other structures that make the dam operational are then added.<ref>Made How. (September 1, 2015). ''How Concrete Dams are Made'' [Online]. Available: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Concrete-Dam.html</ref>

	==Operation==		==Operation==
	Dams are just one component of a complete hydroelectric facility, but are one major, visible component in the system. The purpose of a hydroelectric dam is to provide a place to convert the [[potential energy\|potential]] and [[kinetic energy]] of water to [[electrical energy]] by using a [[hydro turbine\|turbine]] and [[generator]]. Dams act as the place where water is held back and released in a controlled manner ~~down to these~~ turbines, ~~providing the location for~~ the [[energy]] ~~transformation~~ to ~~occur~~.<ref name="RE2">BrightHub Engineering. (September 1, 2015). ''How a Hydroelectric Dam Works'' [Online]. Available: http://www.brighthubengineering.com/building-construction-design/42794-how-does-a-hydroelectric-dam-work/</ref>		Dams are just one component of a complete hydroelectric facility, but are one major, visible component in the system. The purpose of a hydroelectric dam is to provide a place to convert the [[potential energy\|potential]] and [[kinetic energy]] of water to [[electrical energy]] by using a [[hydro turbine\|turbine]] and [[generator]]. Dams act as the place where water is held back and released in a controlled manner through hydraulic turbines, enabling the mechanical [[energy]] of the water to be transformed to electrical energy.<ref name="RE2">BrightHub Engineering. (September 1, 2015). ''How a Hydroelectric Dam Works'' [Online]. Available: http://www.brighthubengineering.com/building-construction-design/42794-how-does-a-hydroelectric-dam-work/</ref>

	Typical dams work to create a reservoir where water is stored at a given height. This height and the speed at which the water falls from the reservoir to the turbines determines how much [[electricity]] can be generated. This can be calculated by using the [[hydroelectric power equation]]. As the height of the dam increases, the amount of electricity generated increases as well. At the top of the dam is a gate that is used for blocking or allowing the release of water from the reservoir. This gate is opened or closed to meet electricity requirements. Between the top of the dam and the turbines are a series of channels known as [[penstock]]s that guide the water down and control the slope of the falling water to ensure maximum [[efficiency]] of the dam. Finally, turbines can be contained in the dam structure itself, and this is where the energy conversion takes place. Once the water is used to turn the turbines, the water is released in a [[tail race]] at the bottom of the dam back into the river.<ref name="RE2"/>

	~~==Advantages and Disadvantages==~~
	There are several advantages as well as disadvantages to the use of dams in hydroelectric facilities. First, dams provide less expensive electricity while producing fewer [[emission]]s than plants that use [[fossil fuel]]s. Despite the large up-front investment needed to build a hydroelectric dam, the operating costs are minimal. Additionally, no [[combustion]] occurs in these plants, significantly reducing [[greenhouse gas]] emissions when compared to plants that use fossil fuels.<ref name="RE2"/> Traditional hydropower plants that use dams also produce more electricity than those that do not, known as [[run-of-the-river systems]].

	~~However, hydroelectric~~ dams ~~still impact ecosystems drastically~~. ~~The construction of these dams disrupts river~~ [[~~ecosystem~~]]~~s and~~ the ~~ecosystems~~ of the ~~surrounding area~~ as a ~~result of~~ the ~~flooding~~ of ~~land caused by~~ the ~~formation of a~~ reservoir. ~~Fish migration~~ is ~~harmed by~~ dam ~~construction, although~~ [[~~fish passage~~]]s can be ~~created. Although these dams produce less greenhouse gas emissions, blocked water~~ in the dam ~~does cause~~ the ~~release of~~ [[~~methane~~]] into the ~~[[atmosphere]]~~.<ref name="RE2"/>		Typical dams work to create a reservoir where water is stored at a given height. This height and the rate at which the water flows from the reservoir through the turbines determines how much [[electricity]] can be generated. This can be calculated by using the [[hydroelectric power equation]]. As the height of the dam increases, the amount of electricity generated increases as well. At the top of the dam is a gate that is used for blocking or allowing the release of water from the reservoir. This gate is opened or closed to meet electricity requirements. Between the top of the dam and the turbines are a series of channels known as [[penstock]]s that guide the water down and control the slope of the falling water to ensure maximum [[efficiency]] of the dam. Finally, turbines can be contained in the dam structure itself, and this is where the energy conversion takes place. After the water passes through the turbines, it is released in a [[tail race]] at the bottom of the dam back into the river.<ref name="RE2"/>

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}[[Category:Uploaded]]

J.williams: 1 revision imported

2015-09-03T18:23:19Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 18:23, 3 September 2015
(No difference)

Jmdonev at 21:01, 2 September 2015

2015-09-02T21:01:52Z

New page

[[Category:Done 2015-09-05]]
[[File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg|360px|thumb|right|Figure 1. Ingur hydroelectric dam.<ref>Wikimedia Commons. (August 31, 2015). ''Ingur Hydroelectric Facility'' [Online]. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ingur_Hydroelectric_Power_Station.jpg</ref>]]

<onlyinclude>A '''hydroelectric dam''' is one of the major components of a [[hydroelectric facility]]. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of [[water]].</onlyinclude> In addition to construction for the purpose of producing [[hydropower|hydroelectric power]], dams are created to control river flow and regulate flooding.<ref name="re1">Missouri Botanical Garden. (August 31, 2015). ''Hydroelectric Power'' [Online]. Available: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm</ref>

Dams fall into the category of retaining structures, or structures that are built to create large standing bodies of water known as [[hydroelectric reservoir|reservoirs]]. These reservoirs can be used for irrigation, [[electricity generation|electrical generation]], or water supply. These structures are built on top of riverbeds and hold back water, raising the water level. Dikes can be built along with the dam to increase the dams effectiveness by preventing water from leaving the reservoir through secondary routes.<ref>Hydro Quebec. (September 1, 2015). ''Retaining Structures'' [Online]. Available: http://www.hydroquebec.com/learning/hydroelectricite/ouvrages-retenue.html</ref>

Dams can be relatively small or extremely large structures. The highest dam in the United states is located near Oroville, California and stands at 230 [[meter]]s tall and 1.6 [[kilometer]]s across. The largest dam in the world is the Nurek dam in Tajikistan, at around 300 meters tall.<ref name="re1"/>

==Construction==
The construction of these dams is difficult and labour intensive. Before construction begins, water is diverted or prevented from moving through the construction site. After water is diverted, the foundation area is cleaned, excavated, and rock that will act as the foundation is repaired and deemed solid. This is done to ensure rock wont fracture as a result of the load of the dam and reservoir. Supports known as rock bolts may be used to strengthen the foundation. Above the dam, rock bolts and netting may be used to prevent rocks from falling on the dam. Forms are then built along the edges of the dam, rebar is placed inside, and concrete is pumped in. This is done in sections, and the concrete is poured bit by bit in a block formation. Once enough of the dam is built, the reservoir is allowed to fill in a highly controlled manner. The dam is monitored during this process. Other structures that make the dam operational are then added.<ref>Made How. (September 1, 2015). ''How Concrete Dams are Made'' [Online]. Available: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Concrete-Dam.html</ref>

==Operation==
Dams are just one component of a complete hydroelectric facility, but are one major, visible component in the system. The purpose of a hydroelectric dam is to provide a place to convert the [[potential energy|potential]] and [[kinetic energy]] of water to [[electrical energy]] by using a [[hydro turbine|turbine]] and [[generator]]. Dams act as the place where water is held back and released in a controlled manner down to these turbines, providing the location for the [[energy]] transformation to occur.<ref name="RE2">BrightHub Engineering. (September 1, 2015). ''How a Hydroelectric Dam Works'' [Online]. Available: http://www.brighthubengineering.com/building-construction-design/42794-how-does-a-hydroelectric-dam-work/</ref>

Typical dams work to create a reservoir where water is stored at a given height. This height and the speed at which the water falls from the reservoir to the turbines determines how much [[electricity]] can be generated. This can be calculated by using the [[hydroelectric power equation]]. As the height of the dam increases, the amount of electricity generated increases as well. At the top of the dam is a gate that is used for blocking or allowing the release of water from the reservoir. This gate is opened or closed to meet electricity requirements. Between the top of the dam and the turbines are a series of channels known as [[penstock]]s that guide the water down and control the slope of the falling water to ensure maximum [[efficiency]] of the dam. Finally, turbines can be contained in the dam structure itself, and this is where the energy conversion takes place. Once the water is used to turn the turbines, the water is released in a [[tail race]] at the bottom of the dam back into the river.<ref name="RE2"/>

==Advantages and Disadvantages==
There are several advantages as well as disadvantages to the use of dams in hydroelectric facilities. First, dams provide less expensive electricity while producing fewer [[emission]]s than plants that use [[fossil fuel]]s. Despite the large up-front investment needed to build a hydroelectric dam, the operating costs are minimal. Additionally, no [[combustion]] occurs in these plants, significantly reducing [[greenhouse gas]] emissions when compared to plants that use fossil fuels.<ref name="RE2"/> Traditional hydropower plants that use dams also produce more electricity than those that do not, known as [[run-of-the-river systems]].

However, hydroelectric dams still impact ecosystems drastically. The construction of these dams disrupts river [[ecosystem]]s and the ecosystems of the surrounding area as a result of the flooding of land caused by the formation of a reservoir. Fish migration is harmed by dam construction, although [[fish passage]]s can be created. Although these dams produce less greenhouse gas emissions, blocked water in the dam does cause the release of [[methane]] into the [[atmosphere]].<ref name="RE2"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}