Hydroelectric PowerWhat is Hydroelectric Power?Hydroelectric power is a form of energy and a renewable resource. Hydropower is the largest and most widely used renewable energy source. Hydropower relies on water, which is a clean, renewable energy source. Renewable energy comes from natural resources. Non-renewable energy sources include coal, oil and natural gas. Water is renewable because it is continually recycled. To harness the energy of flowing water, the water must be controlled; a large reservoir is created, usually by damming a river to create an artificial lake or reservoir. The water is channeled through tunnels in the dam. The energy from the water passing through the dam turns the turbines and moves the generators that will produce electricity. Hydroelectric power is the process of transforming the kinetic energy of water flowing in a river into electrical energy. Hydroelectricity comes from a Greek word meaning water. Hydroelectric power provides 96% of renewable energy in the United States. Hydroelectric power plants do not use resources to produce electricity and do not pollute anything. Although fossil fuels and nuclear power plants produce most of the energy in the United States, hydroelectricity provides 7% of total energy. Hydroelectric power comes from water runoff from lakes, etc. The most common type of hydroelectric plant is a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir. Hydroelectric power has been used for thousands of years and is one of the oldest methods of producing energy. The ancient Egyptians used it to grind grain as early as 250 BC. America's first hydroelectric plant was built on the Fox River in 1882 in Appleton, Wisconsin. The largest hydroelectric plant...... middle of paper ......affects river ecosystems. Flooding many areas and lands that constitute a natural environment are destroyed. High investment costs. This can destroy animal habitats. Hydroelectric power plants can cause major problems. Sometimes small pieces of soil get stuck at the bottom of the stagnant water in the tank. The construction of dams can also affect crops in neighboring areas. Large dams are very expensive to build. Water flowing over a dam can pick up nitrogen, causing fish downstream to die. Large hydroelectric dams can only be built in a limited number of areas/places with large amounts of water.Aldo Robleshttp://www.usbr.gov/power/edu/pamphlet.pdfhttp://education.nationalgeographic. com/education/encyclopedia /hydroelectric-energy/?ar_a=1http://www.tvakids.com/electricity/hydro.htmhttp://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.htmlhttp://ga.water .usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html