Large dams on rivers pcom 640

Risks Rights Responsibilities

Large Dams

o Generate hydropower

o Supply water

o Control flooding

United States Hoover Dam

Dedicated on September 30, 1935 by

Interior Secretary Harold Ickes, who

declared “Pridefully, man acclaims his

conquest of nature.”

Trillion cubic meters of water

China: Three Gorge’s Dam India: Hirakud Dam

The Weight of the World’s Dams

Speed of the earth’s rotation

Tilt of the earth’ axis

Shape of the earth’s gravitational field

Dams have caused flash floodsItaly’s Vajont Dam In 1963 a 330 foot wave rushed over the top of the dam

into the valley below and drowned about 2,600 people.

Dams can cause earthquakesChina’s Zipingpu Dam

is 500 meters from a fault line.

Some believe it caused the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008, a 7.9 magnitude temblor, killed about 80,000 people.

World Population of Dams by Country

Protesters in India

Where do we go from here?

Energy Production by Sources

Risks Rights Responsibilities