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Researched by Brennan D. |
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Dams are like water blockers. They create reservoirs and a reliable water source. Dams control the flow of water and let it flow slowly or fast. Dams even prevent flooding.
Types of Dams
There are many types of dams. There is a metal dam that has a steel face that is watertight. Also, there is a buttress dam that has a base (or a buttress) that supports it. Next, there is a roller dam that lifts its roller to let things through without letting much water go with it. Then, there is a timber dam made of wood and an Embankment dam of earth. Also, there is a hydro power dam that is made to get electricity from the falling water. Finally, there is a concrete dam, which is the main type of dam.
Parts of a Dam
There are a lot of parts in a dam. The main part of a dam is its body. In the middle of the body, there is a core to help keep any of the water from going all the way through the dam and destroying it. Another thing blocking the water is the dams’ watertight face. Gates are sometimes built in dams to let big things through. A roller is put on a dam sometimes for the same reason except it lets less water out when letting big things out. Sometimes there even is a base to help keep the dam balanced. Then there is a spillway where some water is let out to the other side of the dam. Before the water hits the other side, it must run through another part of the dam, it must run through a filter to clean it before it can leave the spillway. There also is a rip rap that serves as an outer protection against harsh weather.
Built with
Dams are made of many things. They are made of steel and timber as well as clay and sand. They’re also made of silt, gravel, and even stone. Sometimes dams are made of metal but most dams are made of concrete.
How Constructed
There are many steps to building a dam. The first step is to find a crew. Then you need to analyze the stream flow. Next you need to plan how you will build the dam. After that you need to build a cofferdam or a water blocker so you can build the real dam. Then you need to flatten the ground so that it is strong enough to hold up the dam. Next you need to pour down the earth or concrete in layers so the dam would be strong like the ground it is on. After the dam’s layers have been poured, you destroy the cofferdam and let the water flow in to the dam. Finally, the dam goes into business.
History
Dams have been around for a long time. A few years ago dams were smaller than they are now and there were’t as many around. Also dams were not as strong as they have become now a days. Dams are much better than they used to be.
Future
In the future I think that dam sizes will keep on growing. Also, I think dams will break even less in the future. Then I think that dams will prevent much more floods from happening. Dams will probably be made of stronger things in the future.
Benefits
There are many benefits to having dams. First off you get more swimming areas and boating areas. Also dams create a bit of our electricity. They even avoid billions of dollars in flood damage. Dams also create a reliable water source even during droughts. The dams don’t even pollute the earth.
Problems
There are also many problems to having dams. Dams kill a lot of fish and take their homes making less food for us. Also if a dam breaks it could cause a huge flood
destroying a lot of houses and killing many people. Finally, people are killed making dams.
Famous Dams
There are many famous dams, and here are a few of them. The tallest dam is the Nurek dam found in Tajikistan. The second tallest dam is the Grand Dixence found in Switzerland. The third tallest dam is the Inguri dam found in Georgia. The longest dam is the Tarbela dam found in Pakistan. The second longest dam is the Fort Peck dam found in the United States. The third longest dam is the lower Usuma dam.
Summary
I learned a lot about dams throughout my project. Now I know a lot about dams and their basics, types, parts, what they are made of, how they are constructed, their history, their future, the benefits of having them, the problems of having them, and famous dams. My favorite part of this project was learning about the famous dams Nurek, Grand Dixcence, Inguri, Tarabela, Fort Peck, and the lower Usuma dam.
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