Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief: Petre Gastescu, Hyperion University of Bucharest (Romania)
Managing Editor: Petre Bretcan, Valahia University of Targoviste (Romania)
Volume 9(1) / 2015
ISSN: 1844-6477 (print version)
ISSN: 2284-5305 (electronic version)

 

 

  

 

TYPOLOGY OF LARGE DAMS. A REVIEW

 

Gheorghe ROMANESCU, Ana Maria ROMANESCU

1 "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Carol I Boulevard no. 20A, Iasi, Romania, postal code 700505-RO, Tel: +40 232 201074, Email: romanescugheorghe@gmail.com

Abstract

The dams represent hydrotechnical constructions meant to ensure a judicious use of water resources. The international literature is extremely rich in data regarding the large dams on Earth. In this context, a hierarchy of the main dams is attempted and the role they play in the economic development of the regions they were built in is underlined. The largest dams are built on the big rivers in Asia, North America, South America and Africa. The reservoirs have multiple roles: electricity production, drinking or industrial water supply, irrigations, recreation, etc. High costs and land fragility do not allow the construction of dams in the places most affected by drought or flood. This is why they are usually built in mountainous areas, at great distance from the populated centres. On the Romanian territory, there are 246 large dams, built in the hydrographical basins of Siret, Olt, Arges, Somes, etc. The largest rivers on Earth, by discharge, (Amazon and Zair) do not also include the largest dams because the landform and the type of flow have not allowed such constructions.

Keywords: dams, classification, hydroelectric plants, reservoirs, complex uses

  
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