LT: I can explain positive and negative impacts of building a dam. Thursday LT: I can explain positive and negative impacts of building a dam.

Discuss Belo Monte Dam Video What are the Kayapo people fighting for? At 5:00 minutes, the photographer talks about what the women of Kenjab do everyday to survive (fishing, going to get water, etc.). How might the Belo Monte Dam change that? At about 7:30, how high will the water be once it is dammed? What will happen to the rainforest when it is under water? Just after 8:30, what will happen to villages downstream from Belo Monte? At 11:30, they explain WHY Brazil wants to build these 60 dams. Why? 

A dam is a structure built to control water through placement of a blockage of earth, rock and/or concrete across a stream or river.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

The Debate Over Dams Positives Effects Negative Effects

The Debate Over Dams Positives Effects Generate power Provide a clean water supply Recreation Irrigation Controls floods

The Debate Over Dams Positives Effects Negative Effects Generate power Provide a clean water supply Recreation Irrigation Controls floods Negative Effects Flooding Dangerous to humans and animals Drying out soil Changes the river Displaces people

Draw a Dam Diagram Your assignment for today is to draw a diagram that shows all of the impacts a dam will have on the environment – upstream and downstream.

Draw a Dam Diagram Water level Sediment (dirt) Fish People

Friday LT: I can illustrate the impact of a dam. Homework: Finish Oil Spill article and questions

Draw a Dam Diagram Water level – Because the normal flow of water is blocked, the reservoir fills up (floods) and the river has less water than before

Draw a Dam Diagram Water temperature – because the reservoir is so much deeper than the normal river, the water is much colder in the reservoir which hurts plants and animals that live there

Draw a Dam Diagram Sediment (dirt) – Normally carried downstream by the river but is blocked by the dam. There is a lot more (too much) dirt in the reservoir and not enough dirt in the river.

Draw a Dam Diagram Fish – Dams block the migration (movement) of fish) and entire species can be separated from each other. Below the dam, low water levels can also kill fish.

Draw a Dam Diagram People – People lose their land to the canals, roads, etc. Additionally, like the Kayapo, their way of life will have to change if the river and fish population are changed. Many people have to move.