Why can’t we just stack hydroelectric dams back to back in rivers to create tons of green electricity.
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Hydroelectric dams produce electricity proportional to the drop in height of the water. So having 5 dams that drop 10 ft would be the same as having 1 dam that drops 50ft (assuming your efficiency is the same). So it’s better to just build 1 large dam.
But if you build a 50ft high dam, then the water behind the dam rises 50ft and may flood existing infrastructure, or find another way around the dam (ex: flooding over to a second river). This is why lakes form behind large dams. So we can’t just build dams everywhere.
Hydroelectric dams produce electricity proportional to the drop in height of the water. So having 5 dams that drop 10 ft would be the same as having 1 dam that drops 50ft (assuming your efficiency is the same). So it’s better to just build 1 large dam.
But if you build a 50ft high dam, then the water behind the dam rises 50ft and may flood existing infrastructure, or find another way around the dam (ex: flooding over to a second river). This is why lakes form behind large dams. So we can’t just build dams everywhere.
Hydroelectric dams produce electricity proportional to the drop in height of the water. So having 5 dams that drop 10 ft would be the same as having 1 dam that drops 50ft (assuming your efficiency is the same). So it’s better to just build 1 large dam.
But if you build a 50ft high dam, then the water behind the dam rises 50ft and may flood existing infrastructure, or find another way around the dam (ex: flooding over to a second river). This is why lakes form behind large dams. So we can’t just build dams everywhere.
Instead of one big dam, hundreds of smaller micro-hydro ‘leaky’ dams are better. If we can keep the height elevation within the range that salmon can jump, we can rejuvenate our salmon populations.
Its doesnt stop there tho. 99% of dams just ‘manage’ the water stored in the valley behind the dam, but there are ways we can turn the terrain itself into water storage by using level-swales, which are kind of like moats. India has made water available hundreds of villages doing this.
With these two techniques we can turn entire continents into water storage mechanisms, that create more fertile conditions, and provide habitat for salmon.
Instead of one big dam, hundreds of smaller micro-hydro ‘leaky’ dams are better. If we can keep the height elevation within the range that salmon can jump, we can rejuvenate our salmon populations.
Its doesnt stop there tho. 99% of dams just ‘manage’ the water stored in the valley behind the dam, but there are ways we can turn the terrain itself into water storage by using level-swales, which are kind of like moats. India has made water available hundreds of villages doing this.
With these two techniques we can turn entire continents into water storage mechanisms, that create more fertile conditions, and provide habitat for salmon.
Instead of one big dam, hundreds of smaller micro-hydro ‘leaky’ dams are better. If we can keep the height elevation within the range that salmon can jump, we can rejuvenate our salmon populations.
Its doesnt stop there tho. 99% of dams just ‘manage’ the water stored in the valley behind the dam, but there are ways we can turn the terrain itself into water storage by using level-swales, which are kind of like moats. India has made water available hundreds of villages doing this.
With these two techniques we can turn entire continents into water storage mechanisms, that create more fertile conditions, and provide habitat for salmon.
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