What is a dam and its purpose?

A dam is a structure built across a stream or river to hold water back. Dams can be used to store water, control flooding, and generate electricity.

What is a dam simple definition?

A dam is a large wall or barrier that blocks or stops the flow of water, forming a reservoir or a lake. Most dams have a section called a spillway or weir over which, or through which, water flows, either sometimes or always.

What are three purposes of dams?

8 Main Purposes of Dams

• Irrigation.
• Hydropower Generation.
• Flood Prevention.
• Water Supply.
• Inland Navigation.
• Recreation.
• Mine Tailing.
• Other Purposes.

How does a dam produce electricity?

The dam stores lots of water behind it in the reservoir. Gravity causes it to fall through the penstock inside the dam. At the end of the penstock there is a turbine propellor, which is turned by the moving water. The shaft from the turbine goes up into the generator, which produces the power.

Are dams good or bad?

Dams store water, provide renewable energy and prevent floods. Unfortunately, they also worsen the impact of climate change. They release greenhouse gases, destroy carbon sinks in wetlands and oceans, deprive ecosystems of nutrients, destroy habitats, increase sea levels, waste water and displace poor communities.

What are dams made of?

The materials used for construction of dams include earth, rock, tailings from mining or milling, concrete, masonry, steel, timber, miscellaneous materials (such as plastic or rubber) and any combination of these materials.

What is a dam for kindergarten?

A dam is a barrier built across a stream or river to stop or check the flow of water and can serve many purposes.

How do you explain a dam to kindergarten?

A dam is a barrier that blocks flowing water or sends it in a new direction. People and animals build dams to control rivers and to create ponds or lakes.

How do dams prevent flooding?

Dams protect against flooding by collecting and holding waters when they reach a certain level. Once collected, a dam might be designed to release the water back into the river at a controlled speed or divert the water elsewhere for other uses. One example of this is a flow-through dam, also known as a perforated dam.

How the dam is built?

The dam is raised in steps of about 600 mm. The edges are formed first, by making low concrete walls on the upstream and downstream faces of the dam. Concrete is then transported to the area between the walls and spread in a thin layer using bulldozers. Rollers are then driven over the concrete to compact it down.

How long does a dam last?

The average lifespan of a dam is often estimated to be 50 years. (6) Another water policy expert (7) estimates that, on average, between 0.5\% and 1\% of a reservoir is filled by sediment each year, meaning that most dams would have a lifespan of 100-200 years.