Natural Sciences 191CNS10 - FYS-Dam It All: Rivers and Ren

Dams are everywhere. Did you know that our local Connecticut River Watershed has over 1,000 dams? The largest of these dams have powered everything from paper mills to supercomputers, and are celebrated as being a renewable resource. But how do they stack up against wind and solar? What is required to build a dam in the first place? And why might we consider removing them when they no longer serve their intended purpose? In this course, we will explore the uses of large-scale dams, their impact on the environment, and what role some may soon play in powering your cell phone, as well as our renewable energy future.

Open to Natural Sciences Freshman with a declared major or on the Natural Sciences Exploratory Track. Freshmen Only