People have been damming rivers for centuries. To start with, the barriers were low, mainly to provide ponds to drive mills. Since the nineteenth century, as engineering capability has increased, dams have grown ever larger — indeed, they are the largest structures ever built. The UK lacks very big dams but there are nevertheless some impressive ones, mainly in the uplands.
Why dam a river? Before reading any further, you might like to draw up a list of what the benefits and costs of damming a river might be.
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