What are the

pros and cons

of
hydropower?

Hydropower
Pros and cons

What are the

pros and cons
of
hydropower?

Aim: What are the pros and

cons to generating electricity
from hydropower?

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Pros

1. Dams are relatively inexpensive to operate.

Yet, they are very expensive to build.

2. Dams generate clean power

Hydropower is renewable and doesnt emit
greenhouse gases or other air pollutants*
*What kinds of
energy do you
think were used to
build this dam?

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Pros, continued

3. Dams improve quality of life

prevent flooding*, create jobs, and provide cheap
electricity, irrigation, and drinking water

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Cons
1. Dams alter river habitats in many ways
upstream: flooding
downstream: not enough water

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Cons, Continued
2. Natural cycles are disrupted
- floodplains dont receive nutrients from
sediments because they get trapped behind dams

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Cons, Continued
3. Temperature of the water is changed
aquatic populations go extinct

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Imagine you are a fish trying

to get upstream of the

Hoover dam

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Cons, Continued
4. Dams prevent anadromous fish from
laying eggs.
No fish
ladder!

Fish
ladder

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

What do you think:

do the pros
outweigh the

cons?

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Modern Trends
In the US, the era of large dam
construction is probably over.
Not so in developing countries
(Brazil, China, India).

Micro-hydropower :electricity
produced in a small stream
without having to build a big dam
11

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

Micro-hydropower

Much cheaper to build.

12
Can be used in remote areas

Aim: What are

the pros and
cons of
hydropower?

What are the pros

and cons of

hydropower?

Should we use it?

Water Diversion
What are the effects of Water
Diversion?

14

Water diversion projects bring water

management
to areasWater
that need
it

Central Arizona Project

Aqueduct brings water from
the Colorado River to dry areas
of Arizona, multiple uses
(drinking water, recreation,
power, etc.)

We divert and deplete surface water

People have long diverted
water to farm fields, homes,
and cities

The once mighty Colorado River

has been extensively dammed
and diverted

The Colorado River is heavily

diverted
What water is left after all the diversions comprises
just a trickle into the Gulf of California
On some days, water does not reach the gulf
Diversion has drastically altered the rivers ecology

The Aral Sea

Once the fourth-largest lake on Earth
It has lost more than 80% of its
volume in just 45 years
The two rivers leading into the Aral
Sea were diverted to irrigate cotton
fields
Consequences of a shrinking sea
60,000 fishing jobs are gone
Pesticide-laden dust from the lake
bed is blown into the air
The cotton cannot bring back the
regions economy

Can the Aral Sea be saved?

People may have

begun saving the
northern part of
the Aral Sea

Will we see a future of water

wars?
Freshwater depletion leads to shortages,
which can lead to conflict
261 major rivers cross national borders
Water is a key element in hostilities among Israel,
Palestinians, and neighboring countries

Many nations have cooperated with

neighbors to resolve disputes