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As weather gets less predictable, hydropower dams look to new forecasting techniques

Oct 24, 2023
"Forecast-informed reservoir operations" may help planners deal more effectively with flood or drought conditions.
Dams were built during a much different climate regime from the conditions we're experiencing and expecting. Operators of the facilities are seeking ways to adapt.
Lars Hagberg/AFP via Getty Images

Is shipping goods by barge good for the environment?

Sep 18, 2023
Barges can move cargo with less fuel than a truck or train. But environmental experts are skeptical of emissions calculations.
A 15-barge tow approaches a lock and dam complex near Granite City, Illinois. Environmentalists say the carbon emissions generated by transit through locks and dams need to be better understood.
Eric Schmid/STLPR

Mega-dams, like Hoover, probably wouldn't be built today

Mar 29, 2017
Dams are costly and have gone out of style. We also know more about their environmental impact.
Hoover Dam in 1936, the year it was completed. The dam was finished two years ahead of schedule and under budget, a feat unlikely to occur today.
Getty Images