Dams and Water Works

What’s inside

• Which primary function distinguishes a gravity dam from an arch dam?
• What is the main purpose of a spillway on a dam?
• Which dam is located on the Colorado River and forms a major reservoir called Lake Mead?
• Why are sedimentation and reservoir siltation important concerns in dam management?
• The Three Gorges Dam is built across the [____] River in China.
• A structure that allows fish to bypass a dam is commonly called a fish [____].
• The curved shape of an arch dam transfers much of the water load into the canyon [____].
• In a hydropower plant, falling water spins a [____], which drives the generator.