Pre- and post-assessment

What are important things to think about when designing and building a hydroelectric dam? Consider engineering
and environmental factors.
Engineering - Why is the dam designed with the turbine near the bottom of the dam?
Environmental - In what ways does a dam affect its surrounding area? What can we do to minimize these
effects?
Responses- Day 1, 6/28
Turbine design/physics question Group 1
Pre

Post

To push water out towards the river

Needs to be on the bottom of the dam so it can give

turbine more force

The dam is designed with the turbine near the

bottom of the dam so the water can go into the river

The dam is designed that way because of the power. The

power is all at the bottom

To push the water down

It makes the faster

So it makes sure the bottom of the lake has been

spinned

There is more pressure towards the bottom and it is

faster. The turbine is spinning fast toward the bottom.

More towards the bottom of the dam because more

power is to the bottom

There is more water flow at the bottom because of gravity

Because there is more weight above the turbine

which carries it to the bottom

Because of gravity and flow rate together give more

power

So water can flow down naturally and power the

turbine

To use the most power and produce the most energy

Turbine design/physics question Group 2

Pre

Post

It is build with a turbine near at the bottom to

get more kinetic energy and pressure

They design the dam turbine at the bottom because it would

have more pressure, more power. This will contribute to the
watts that you can create with the force of the kinetic energy
do by the pressure to make more energy needed

Because there is a tube like structure around

the turbine which the water goes around house
it helps turn the turbine which in turn helps
generate mechanical electric power

So the water can turn the turbine in less time. It is also

important to have the turbine at the bottom because there is
more water pressure and there is more force when the water
gets intaked into the dam.

Because there is higher pressure and faster

current near the bottom and further out the
narrow path

Because the pressure builds up near the bottom of the dam

and causes the turbine to spin faster and produce more
electricity in less time.

So it wont back up all the water

To have more pressure and power

You can get the most gravity acting on the water There is more pressure being put on the water which will spin
to spin the turbine as fast as you can get it
the turbine faster

So the water can get to the lake faster

Because there is more pressure

The water pressure is higher so it pushes it

faster

The pressure and flow

So gravity can guide the water down, which

spins the turbine

So that the water power the dam faster because of its

pressure and force

Environmental question
Pre

Post

It affects the area by the water going out of the dam.

We can minimize it by stopping pollution.

A dam affects it surrounding by having the houses flood we

can minimize it by erosion.

It increases the water level to wherever the dam is

located.

When the water builds up, the houses flood.

It can cause some species to suffer because we can

tear them down.

It can flood certain areas.

The water separates the water levels. We should

not build so many dams.

It could of flooded them. The hole at the bottom makes sure

much water is being clogged up.

N/A

It floods the people on top.

It turns a lake or reservoir into a river.

It eroded the land so you should have the dam closer to the
top.

Turbines, power, and transformation.

It can flood the surrounding houses.

They can scare off nearby organisms.

It can create erosion or overflow on the land. There is

supposed to be a little space to let water go by. On the other
hand, you can not live too much because you will not
receive enough energy.

Animals get hurt during the process. It also causes

floods and droughts. We can build smaller dams to
minimize effect and also different designs of dams.

It causes erosion and changes in land nearby. It also can

cause natural disasters like floods, droughts, and land
slides.

It affects the surrounding area because if it it breaks To minimize the hazard, you need to make sure the
it will flood land near it.
placement of the dam is in the safest place.
It kills organisms.

It harms the land.

Erosion is faster, the rivers are more dangerous for

fish and people

There are mud slides and floods and we can fix this by
creating study walls along a river and planting plants or
riverbeds.

It cuts off water flow to stuff downstream.

It causes more erosion than just a river.

The dam affects the animal life after the dam. It

lowers the water level.

Before the dam, it could flood, after the dam it could

damage the aquatic life.

Because if other things fall on top of it, it wont back

up everything

To stop all kinds of things like fallen trees and all types of
stuff.

Responses Day 2, 6/29

Turbine design/physics question Group 1
Pre

Post

To help with water flow and efficiency

Because that is where there is the most energy

Because gravity pushes the turbine faster and the magnetic pull

The turbines pushed by the water which is in

the water which is influenced by the gravity

It is easier to have it not go over the top like in a mill and the
turbine is in so that the water is gaining speed before it turns
the turbine and generates power faster

So a reservoir can be made to get more water

through generating more power

So the water can push it and transform mechanical energy to

electrical energy

To change the energy and let some water out

The reason why it is at the bottom is because there is more

gravity

So that the reservoir will use gravity and

slopes to increase the speed of the water flow

Gravity starts the to pull the water down. It goes faster and
faster until it reaches the turbine, pushing it extremely fast and
at great speeds

The gravitation makes the water begin to pick

up speed on its way down, going super fast
when it hits the turbine

Gravity accelerates the speed of the water

To increase the flow rate

Pushes the water down

Because that is where gravity is pushing the

water down

Turbine design/physics question Group 2

Pre

Post

To make it easy for them to put stuff underground so people

cant mess with it

To get the fastest flow rate without getting

rocks in the turbine

Theres more water pressure at the bottom of the lake but also
more debris, so it is placed close to the bottom not not at it.

So the town does not get fluded

So the potential energy of the water is converted more

efficiently

Water pressure is significantly higher near the

bottom

More pressure the deeper it is

The most pressure is at the bottom. More

speed = more power when building a dam.

Thats were they wanted it. JK - becuase of the amount of

pressure is on it.

Because of the water pressure

Environmental question Group 1

Pre

Post

Increases water flow rate, and may cause harm to some species
that used to live in the water!

Peoples homes. Shelters for animals.

Reservoir it doesnt let water flow down kill plant and wild life.
We need overflow channels.

Needs to be cleared of people and it changes

the environment.

Dams harm wildlife environments because the natural animals

cannot live therefore they might go down the dam. It can be
reduced if the animals are relocated or have a filter before the
penstock.

It can harm wildlife or houses and locals but if

you plan everything out you can minimize
these things.

Animals could lose their homes/environment.

It could change the life around it and could

flood. Make sure its secure.

Animals can drink the water. We have lots of animals.

It can help stop erosion and that helps with

more land on which houses can be built!

It can kill some of the surrounding plant and animal life. Im not
sure of ways to stop this.

Erosion can cause floods, you can stop this by...

Corrosion of the dam, use non-corrosive materials.

It can flood forests and cities. Let the water

flow.

Corrosion of the dam, Use non-corrosive material.

It helps wildlife.

Environmental question Group 2

Pre

Post

Negative - fish might get cut off; Positive - clean

water

If you build it wrong everyone dies! JK - wild life could

migrate and everyo one would be stuck in there homes.

Makes fish not able to migrate and lay eggs.

The dam builds a reservoir which is a lake looking thin.

The dam lowers the water level of the surrounding

area this can be minimized by letting through
excess water

It can cause flooding and erosion which can destroy local

ecosystems, historical sites, and can be aesthetiaclly
unappealing.

It affect the water level. Make it better.

It affect the animals and people. Make the dams better.

A dam can flood the surrounding area and destroy

forrests, creating a lake any where they please.

1. A. Wildlife may migrate

B. land may be flooded
C. Ruins/tombs may be ruined
D. People may have to move
2. With a river simulation table