ABSTRACT
Rainfall, like wind, is common but is unevenly distributed across the surface of the earth. Hydroelectric energy technologies, which in a sense use water for “fuel,” depend on rainfall to create flowing water that, when falling due to the gravitational pull of the earth, may be used to generate mechanical power to grind flour, motivate other machinery, or produce electricity. Thus, hydroelectric energy is produced by the force of falling water (USGS 2011). The movement of water as it flows downstream creates energy that can be converted into electricity. A hydroelectric power plant converts this energy into electricity by running water, often held in a reservoir behind a dam, through a hydraulic turbine connected to a generator. Water exits the turbine and is returned to a stream or riverbed below the reservoir (USEPA 2011).
