Hydropower as an Alternative Energy Source Essay -- Water Power Energy

Hydropower as an alternative Energy SourceWater provides a very valuable resource. We office dams built to run pissing through turbines and produce electricity. There are many advantages and disadvantages to hydropower, though there are more advantages. It is reasonable brassy to maintain, and is a clean source. There are issues with dams blocking fish liquid in the river, but there are ways to help them. Hydropower is easily balanced between the electricity needs and the needs of the environment.Hydropower makes up 90 percent of the United States energy from a renewable source. It is the nations largest renewable resource. People confound built dams since ancient times to agree the irrigate. Waterwheels ca-ca been used for centuries to help people with their everyday needs, and now they cigaret be used to produce electricity. Many large dams worldwide make up turbines (modern day waterwheels), which produce large comes of energy. These dams account for 40 percent of w hole energy produced by hydropower (Nersesian, 290).When a dam is built a man-made lake collects behind it, which also collects rainwater. The reservoir allows us to control the amount of water that flows through the dam and lets us still have a unbendable flow of water, even during years with less rainfall. The dam itself has spillways to control the amount of water leaving the dam. One major problem with dams is the affect they have on migrating fish traveling up and down the rivers. Many dams have special fish ladders to allow the fish to pass through (Today, 2001).Of lam the biggest advantage of hydropower is that it is renewable. Also it is clean, meaning it does not throw a contend of chemicals into the air and it does not produce any waste. Hydropower can also be produc... ...earch.atomz.com). At the moment only 3 percent of the nations 80,000 dams are producing hydropower (Today, 2001). If we could install more turbines into dams then we could rely more on hydropower the n other more damaging resources. Over all water has the potential to become a crucial source of power.ReferencesAdvantages and Disadvantages of Hydropower. (2005). Retrieved July 30, 2007, fromhttp//www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_ad.htmlA victimize Course in Hydro Sciences. (2004). Retrieved July 29, 2007, fromhttp//www.british-hydro.org/infopage.asp?infoid=184Hydropower Today. (2001). Retrieved July 30, 2007, fromhttp//www.hydrofoundation.org/hydropower/index.htmlNersesian, R. L. (2007). Biomass. In Energy for the 21st Century AComprehensive guide to conventional and alternative sources (pp. 290-297).United States of America M.E. Sharpe.