Reservoirs Provide Tap Water Yet Significantly Contribute to Climate Change

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Lake Berryessa in Napa County is a reservoir formed behind the Monticello Dam. Photo by Lindsey Hoshaw/KQED

By Matt Weiser, Water Deeply/KQED News Fix

Hydropower dams are generally thought to be a clean source of electricity. By moving water through turbines, dams can generate large amounts of electricity almost continuously and without causing air pollution.

It’s partly for these reasons that more than 3,700 hydroelectric dams are currently proposed or under construction worldwide.

But a growing body of science reveals a dark side. It turns out the reservoirs formed by dams are a significant source of greenhouse gases – particularly methane, about 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In the last 10 years, dozens of studies have shed light on this problem.

Read the complete story at Water Deeply/KQED News Fix.

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