InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Water Science and Society > Student Materials > Section 2: Physical Hydrology > Module 5: Dam It All!
InTeGrate's Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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These student materials complement the Water Science and Society Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.

Module 5: Dam It All!

Module Introduction

In the preceding modules, we've discussed the uneven distribution of precipitation and water resources on Earth's surface (Modules 1-2), and the dynamics of rivers and streams as the primary conduits for return of water that falls over the continents to the oceans (Modules 3-4). One fundamental challenge to populations is that precipitation does not fall where we need it, when we need it. This is amplified by the fact that many population centers are located in areas that are perennially dry, including those in the US Southwest.

How do we store water delivered by rivers to provide reliable and secure supply when we need it, where we need it, and tame the flow in abnormally wet conditions to mitigate flooding? The main solution is to dam rivers and fill the reservoirs behind them. This stores large volumes of water that ensure a stable supply, the reservoirs act as "capacitors" in the hydrologic system to absorb excess flow and thus prevent flooding downstream, and the dams simultaneously produce electric power as water is released in a steady, controlled discharge from the reservoir. However, dams and their reservoirs also profoundly impact the natural river system, and can cause irreversible changes to the environment and to populations both near the dam and far up- and down-stream. In Module 5, we will explore the benefits and consequences of construction and removal of large dams, both in the US and globally, including a discussion of case studies along the Yangtze and Nile rivers.


These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »