How many dams can be built on a river?

Have you ever asked yourself “Why are dams built?” Beavers build dams to form a beaver lodge to live in and protect themselves against predators.

Similar to beavers, we, humans, have also been building dams. But unlike beavers, we build them to harness the power of water rather than forming a habitat. Well, are dams efficient then?

Yes, quite actually. Harnessing the power of water may be ancient, but generating electricity by using the potential energy of water through hydropower dams is relatively new. This renewable energy source is an excellent way to generate electricity, and one may easily think that the more dams there are on a river, the more power and profit there is to gain.

However, this is not the case in real life since there are several factors affecting its feasibility. Factors such as the dam’s purpose, river’s formation, dam’s “cost” to the manufacturer as well as to the environment, construction’s possible effect on humans and their livelihoods are all variables of this complex equation.

If you are interested in this green energy source and want to learn more, this video will answer the questions of “how many dams can you build in an area, are dams expensive to build, how much water is needed for a dam,” and more.

Courtesy of Interesting Engineering