RIVERS: Dams
- Created by: Thea Tuckey
- Created on: 20-12-17 09:32
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- RIVERS: Dams
- Advantages
- Environmental
- Protects animal habitats below the dam.
- Creates new habitat for fish.
- Reduces production of greenhouse gases as HEP is a renewable source.
- Socio-Economic
- Creates large water supply for growing population.
- Creates jobs: short term = construction longterm = maintenance
- Creates tourist activity- brings in money locally
- Creates HEP (hydro electric power) source- used instead of fossil fuels
- Political
- Demonstrates development to show power
- Improves trade with larger sips as they can go further upstream
- Environmental
- Disadvantages
- Environmental
- Visual pollution- ugly
- Mass deforestation to build the dam causes flooding in the valley behind.
- Blocks industrial pollution behind dam- causes sever pollution upstream
- Prevents fish migration; affects reproduction and can lead to extinction
- Socio-Economic
- Expensive; construction and maintenance
- In earthquake zones; mass flooding can occur if dam is breached.
- 1000's of people are often displaced and need to migrate to find a new home if town is flooded.
- Political
- Disaster if dam bursts or was breached. Bad impression of government.
- Environmental
- Case Study: Lady Bower Reservoir/ Derwent Dam
- Located in the Peak District
- Min. average rainfall 1500 mm.
- Players
- Location Factors
- Near demand; Sheffield/ Leicester/ Darby.
- High rainfall; high discharge; large drainage basin
- Low Population Density
- Impermeable soil; no loss by percolation
- Relief; steep valley slides
- Advantages
- Habitat for fish & controlled breeding area
- Tourism & Leisure activities eg. fishing
- Creates jobs
- Reliable and clean water supply
- Educational opportunities
- Demonstrates development
- Disadvantages
- Coastland starved of sediment = coastal erosion occurs.
- Reservoir traps silt; lack of silt; blockage of river eco-system and processes
- Reservoir traps silt; lack of silt; blockage of river eco-system and processes
- Periods of low water levels = areas of drought = +demand & unattractive
- Infilling because of deposition of silt reduced capacity.
- Does not have a fish ladder; fish cannot migrate upstream
- Coastland starved of sediment = coastal erosion occurs.
- Advantages
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