NCW Libraries

Profiles ten of the world's most distinctive dams.

During the first two decades of the twenty-first century, the whole messy truth about the legacy of last century's big dam building binge has come to light. What started out as an arguably good government project has drifted oceans away from that original virtuous intent. Governments plugged the nation's rivers in a misguided attempt to turn them into revenue streams. Water control projects' main legacy will be one of needless ecological destruction,...

Whether it's a beaver dam or the Hoover Dam, all dams rely on science to function properly. People first began damming rivers to stop flooding and provide water for irrigation. These early dams were made with simple techniques and technology. Today, dams are constructed to prevent flooding and to provide water for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and freshwater for large populations. Modern advances in dam technology would have never happened if it...

Examines the background and benefits of the Columbia Treaty and the water power projects operated cooperatively by the United States and Canada. Describes the river and its tributaries, dam construction, the formation of the treaty, and the economic profits enjoyed by both nations.

Five little beavers, working feverishly to build a dam, are enticed one by one to leave their endeavor to play with other animals on the river bank, leaving one tired beaver to finish the job.