Chungju dam

Chungju Dam

• Located on the Namhan river
• controls floods
• supplies water
• generates hydroelectric energy

Map of Chungju Dam

Hydroelectric power

• uses water to turn a turbine
• turns a metal shaft in electric generator
• power lines are connected to generator
• carries electricity to homes and mines

where is it from?

• water from the Namhan river

the basics of chungju

• supplies water to a 400MV power station
• 98m tall 
• holds reservoir of 2750000000 m^3

How much electricity?

• get approx. 3380 million m^3 of water anually
• 2731 million m^3 of water is used for city and industrial water  
• includes the metropolitan area:
•      - Seoul, Incheon, Suwon, Pyeongtak
• 1 megawatt powers 1000 homes, 844,000,000khw = 844,000 homes per year 

NEGATIVE environmental impacts

• disturbs natural fluctuations in water flow 
•      - affects deposits of nutrients 
•      - lifestyles of species 
• water quality is degraded
•      - increases salinity, leaching of mercury

NEGATIVE Environmental Impacts

• loss of wild lands, wetlands, habitats
• anaerobic decomposition of vegetation
• production of greenhouse gases
•      - release of CO2 and methane 
•      - due to flooded trees and decomposition

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

• water loss due to evaporation 
• block migrating fish from spawning/feeding sites
•       - fish ladders successful to some extent 
•       - but not that viable of a solution 
• space (6,648km sq) 

POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

• no air pollution/greenhouse gas emissions
•      - no combustion occurs during electricity generation 
• water = renewable electricity source (long lifespan)  
• dams, reservoirs = reliable, controllable source
• relatively cheap 

POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

• holds water for irrigation 
•      - Chungju Lake right next to the dam 
• can complement intermittent sources
•      - such as wind and solar power 
•      - hydroelectric power is used as backup