Benefits Of Dams

dam-pdBenefits Of Dams

Water is the most essential resource that supports all forms life that exists on earth. Unfortunately, this resource of life is not distributed evenly all over the world. Different locations in the world have varying supply of natural water in different seasons. People in few parts of the world suffer from drought when water is a scarce and valuable commodity, whereas people in other parts face raging torrents that cause floods, resulting in loss of both life and property. History of the world civilizations reveals that dams and reservoirs were successfully used for collecting, storing, saving and managing water that is essential for sustenance of any civilization. Apart from this there are many other benefits of dams for the humans. Some of these benefits include:

1.Water Supply
Large quantities of appropriate quality water is required both for domestic and industrial purposes. Large urban areas depend greatly on water stored in dams and reservoirs for various purposes. Water is stored during high rainfall and is used at the time of low rainfall. This is especially important in dry areas of the world.

2.Meet the rural agricultural demands.
Large quantities of water are required all over the world for meeting the needs of agricultural irrigation. Irrigated lands all over the world contribute a major part of food production, thus making irrigation the need of today’s farmers. Dams and reservoirs are required in sufficient numbers to supply sufficient quantities of water, especially to arid and semi arid regions of the world.

3.Dams help in flood control
Excessive precipitation in an area results in floods, which causes huge loss to life and property in the low lying areas of a river where the flood water flows. Dams and reservoirs are effective and can be used to maintain water levels in a river. The flooding downstream of water can be temporarily stored in a dam and released later when it is required.

4.Production of hydropower
Energy is the most important determinant of the socio-economic development of any country. It is beneficial to use a kind of energy which is clean, dependable, efficient, and renewable. Hydroelectricity fulfills the above mentioned requirement and dams are an effective means of producing this kind of energy.

5.Local navigation
Local inland navigations is an excellent sport, but natural river conditions, like currents, changing river levels, and snowfall, create major obstacles and problems for local inland navigation. Dams can effectively be used for controlling the levels of water in a river where inland navigation is carried.

6.Recreational purposes.
Dams play an important place for recreational purposes, especially in areas where there is a lack of surface water.

Apart from all the above advantages dams provide an excellent habitat for aquatic animals. There are so many benefits of constructing dams that even if millions of dollars are spend to build them; the value obtained is worth the spending made.

3 thoughts on “Benefits Of Dams”

  1. You can’t completely say it’s useful or support life. It fragments rivers and makes fish breeding difficult. Dams have huge demerits. Causing him he displacement of people.

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