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CONLENBUSINESS

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Directions:Readthefollowingarticle.Researchotherhydroplantsin
theU.S.(WhichoneistheclosesttoBensalem,Pa.)?Whyis
hydropowersustainable?
Writeonepagebasedonyourfindings,includingcitationsbasedon
yourresearch.

Hydropower

PhotographbyDorlingKindersley/GettyImages
Hydropoweriselectricitygeneratedusingtheenergyofmovingwater.Rainormeltedsnow,usually
originatinginhillsandmountains,createstreamsandriversthateventuallyruntotheocean.Theenergyof
thatmovingwatercanbesubstantial,asanyonewhohasbeenwhitewaterraftingknows.
Thisenergyhasbeenexploitedforcenturies.FarmerssincetheancientGreekshaveusedwaterwheelsto
grindwheatintoflour.Placedinariver,awaterwheelpicksupflowingwaterinbucketslocatedaround
thewheel.Thekineticenergyoftheflowingriverturnsthewheelandisconvertedintomechanicalenergy
thatrunsthemill.

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Inthelate19thcentury,hydropowerbecameasourceforgeneratingelectricity.Thefirsthydroelectric
powerplantwasbuiltatNiagaraFallsin1879.In1881,streetlampsinthecityofNiagaraFallswere
poweredbyhydropower.In1882theworldsfirsthydroelectricpowerplantbeganoperatingintheUnited
StatesinAppleton,Wisconsin.
Atypicalhydroplantisasystemwiththreeparts:anelectricplantwheretheelectricityisproduced;adam
thatcanbeopenedorclosedtocontrolwaterflow;andareservoirwherewatercanbestored.Thewater
behindthedamflowsthroughanintakeandpushesagainstbladesinaturbine,causingthemtoturn.The
turbinespinsageneratortoproduceelectricity.Theamountofelectricitythatcanbegenerateddependson
howfarthewaterdropsandhowmuchwatermovesthroughthesystem.Theelectricitycanbetransported
overlongdistanceelectriclinestohomes,factories,andbusinesses.
Hydroelectricpowerprovidesalmostonefifthoftheworld'selectricity.China,Canada,Brazil,theUnited
States,andRussiawerethefivelargestproducersofhydropowerin2004.Oneoftheworld'slargesthydro
plantsisatThreeGorgesonChina'sYangtzeRiver.Thereservoirforthisfacilitystartedfillingin2003,
buttheplantisnotexpectedtobefullyoperationaluntil2009.Thedamis1.4miles(2.3kilometers)wide
and607feet(185meters)high.
ThebiggesthydroplantintheUnitedStatesislocatedattheGrandCouleeDamontheColumbiaRiverin
northernWashington.Morethan70percentoftheelectricitymadeinWashingtonStateisproducedby
hydroelectricfacilities.
Hydropoweristhecheapestwaytogenerateelectricitytoday.That'sbecauseonceadamhasbeenbuiltand
theequipmentinstalled,theenergysourceflowingwaterisfree.It'sacleanfuelsourcethatis
renewableyearlybysnowandrainfall.
Hydropowerisalsoreadilyavailable;engineerscancontroltheflowofwaterthroughtheturbinesto
produceelectricityondemand.Inaddition,reservoirsmayofferrecreationalopportunities,suchas
swimmingandboating.
Butdammingriversmaydestroyordisruptwildlifeandothernaturalresources.Somefish,likesalmon,
maybepreventedfromswimmingupstreamtospawn.Technologieslikefishladdershelpsalmongoup
overdamsandenterupstreamspawningareas,butthepresenceofhydroelectricdamschangestheir
migrationpatternsandhurtsfishpopulations.Hydropowerplantscanalsocauselowdissolvedoxygen
levelsinthewater,whichisharmfultoriverhabitats.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/globalwarming/hydropower-profile/