Hydroelectric energyWhat is hydroelectric energy?Hydroelectric energy is a form of energy and is a renewable resource. Hydroelectric power is the most important and 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 continuously recycled. To harness the energy of running water, the water must be controlled; a large reservoir is created, usually by damming a river to create a lake or reservoir. The water is channeled through the dam's tunnels. The energy from the water flowing through the dam turns the turbines and drives the generators that will produce electricity. Hydroelectric energy is the process of transforming the kinetic energy of water flowing in a river into electrical energy. Hydroelectric power comes from the Greek word meaning water. Hydroelectricity provides 96% of the renewable energy in the United States. Hydroelectric power plants do not consume resources to produce electricity nor do they pollute anything. Although fossil fuels and nuclear power plants produce the majority of energy in the United States, hydroelectricity provides 7% of total energy. Hydroelectric power comes from running water runoff from lakes, etc. The most common type of hydroelectric power 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. Ancient Egyptians used it to grind grain as early as 250 BC. The first hydroelectric power plant in the United States was built on the Fox River in 1882 in Appleton, Wisconsin. The largest hydroelectric power... in the center of the map... influences river ecosystems. By flooding, many areas and lands that make up the natural environment are destroyed. High investment costs. It can destroy animal habitats. Hydroelectric power plants can cause big problems. Sometimes small pieces of soil get trapped at the bottom of the tank's stagnant water. The construction of dams can also affect crops in neighboring areas. Large dams are really expensive to build. Water moving over a dam can absorb nitrogen, causing fish downstream to die. Large hydroelectric dams can only be built in a limited number of areas/places with large quantities of water. Aldo Robles http://www.usbr.gov/power/edu/pamphlet.pdf http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia /energia-idroelettrica/?ar_a=1http://www.tvakids.com/ electricity/idro.htmhttp://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.htmlhttp://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html