By: Athena Taveras Dillon Glagola Hydroelectric Power By: Athena Taveras Dillon Glagola

Advantages and Disadvantages Some advantages of Hydroelectric power are that it’s an inexhaustible fuel source, has minimal environmental impact, generates a relatively useful amount of energy, and can be used anywhere in the world. Some disadvantages are that smaller models depend on availability of a fast running stream or river, run-of-the river plants can effect mobility of fish and other river life.

How It Generates Electricity Water is pumped from a high reservoir to a lower one and spins a turbine, that turns a magnet, that makes the generator generate power. During the night when power is used less, the water is pumped back up to the high reservoir to restart the process the next day.

History The Greeks used it to turn wheat into flower more than 2,000 years ago, in 1887, San Bernardino built the first hydroelectric plant in the west, in 1907, 15% of generating capacity in America was hydropower, and in 1920, it was increased to 25%! Between the years 1921 and 1940, Conventional capacity for hydro electric power tripled, and between 1940 and 1980, it almost tripled again!

Other Applications There are many uses for hydroelectric power, such as… - grinding corn in the earliest water mills - providing motive power for the textile industry power bellows and hammers -make paper -prepare fibers for spinning -and for operating several things at the same time