Question

Compare and contrast the four types of dams.

Answer 1

Answer:

Direct dams can be used for

-Private or domestic, commercial, irrigation, livestock, industrial, mining, public supply, hydroelectric power, flood control, and transportation.

Dams are mainly used for

-Mostly for recreation

Indirect Dam uses (3)

-Hydroelectric power - Most common purposes for the construction of large dams

-Flood control - Dams even out the peaks and lows of a rivers natural flow cycle by calming seasonal flooding then storing that water for gradual release year round

-Transportation - Dam locks are used to move ships past large dams

Materials used to build dams

-Soil, sand, stone, aggregates, concrete, and etc

-Concrete is the main material (aggregates+paste)

-One tonne of cement = One tonne of CO2

-Large amounts of fossil fuels to operate the machinery

-Air and water pollution result from the dust and mud

Types of large dams (4)

-Gravity

-Arch

-Buttress

-Composite

Gravity dams

-Triangular shaped where the weight of the rock holds the water

-Most common type because they are cheap to build on a flat terrain

-Aswan Dam in Egypt is largest

Arch dams

-Use the strength of an arch

-More expensive, use less material than gravity dams

-Can only be built in certain locations where the canyon walls are stable and prevent water seepage

-Example: Hoover dam

Buttress dams

-Many reinforced columns to form a thin structure

-Uses less concrete than gravity dams - cheaper

Composite dams

-Combination of many dam types

-Gravity dam will comprise of the majority whereas the section that generates power will be arch or buttress dam

Physical impacts of dams (4)

-Upstream (side of dam that water is flowing to)

-On-site

-Downstream

-Global scale

Physical impacts of upstream

-Loss of land - Destruction of peoples property in the reservoir zone

-Stagnant water table - Water from unnatural reservoirs seeps down into the water table, damaging to surrounding flora, and insects can sit in the stagnant water that can pollute it

-Habitat destruction - Area covered by the reservoir is destroyed and fish can no longer travel upstream past large dams in order to read their spawning grounds.

Answer 2

Here are the comparison between four types of dams.

Dams are the structures built by man on a water body like river and stream, to manage the flow of water in that water body.

Four types of dams are :-

1) Diversion dam :- These are dams which are made to divert the water flow in a water body to another direction.

2) Cofferdam :- These are dams which are made for a temporary time period to hold water when work is going on near a water body.

3) Storage dam :- These are dams which are made to store water in a water body when it rains. This stored water is used for agricultural purposes or electricity purposes.

4) Detention dam :- These are dams which are made to control the level of water in a water body during flood in a water body.

Comparison between 4 types of dams :-

a) Diversion dams are short in height compared to other dams.

b) Diversion dams can hold less amount of water compared to other dams.

c) Cofferdams are built for temporary purpose compared to other dams.

d) Cofferdams are more eco friendly compared to other dams.

e) Compared to other dams, the water in Storage dams is stored to use for other things.

f) Compared to other dams Detention dams manage the flood water in the water body.