Building of a Dam!

Figure 1. The Nestos river with the hydroelectric dam (top yellow rectangle) and its delta (lower yellow rectangle)

A few years ago a hydroelectric dam was built in the north of the Nestos river, which separates the Greek provinces of Macedonia and Thrace, in the north-east Greece. The dam is producing electricity which provides invaluable power to the region.

However the creation of the dam (figure 2) has had some impacts to the environment. Some environmental non-governmental organizations are protesting about the negative impacts of the dam to the area.

Can you identify what negative impacts there might be? (Hint: the river delta (figure 3) is one of the areas where the impacts can be observed)

Questions:

	Can you spot the dam in Figure 2?

	Why is the water near the coast (Figure 3) of a lighter tone, in comparison with the water further into the sea?

	Did the creation of the dam affect the humidity around the area? Why?

	How did the dam affect the temperature of the river water after it? Can you thing of any impacts this might have had to the agricultural lands around the river?

	Did the change in temperature have any effects on the beaches near the river delta (Figure 3)? Think of the effect it might have on the currents.

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Figure 2. The Nestos River hudroelectric dam

Figure 3 The Nestos River delta