Select all the potential effects of damming a river.

A. increased erosion

B. increased water reserves

C. disruption of river ecosystems

D. increased pollution of watersheds

E. increased production of electricity

F. higher amounts of algae from fertilizer runoff

The answer is; C & E

Building a dam alters the water regime down the dam. The dam also affects fish migration along the river, alters the transportation of sediments by the river downstream, and changes temperatures within the local environment of the dam. These changes, however, the subtle effect the ecosystem around the dam and down the river. The potential energy of the water held by the dam is, however, high and used to produce more electricity.