Dams are like giant walls built across rivers. They are very important, not just in Japan, but all around the world. Now let's talk about why they are so important.

Kurobe dam in Toyama prefecture

1. Storing Water: The main job of a dam is to store water. When it rains, the dam catches and keeps the rainwater. The water stored in dams is used for many things, like drinking, cooking, bathing, and watering plants.

2. Generating Electricity: Dams are used to make electricity too! This type of electricity is called "hydroelectric power." It's made when the stored water is released from the dam, and it flows down really fast, spinning big wheels called turbines. When the turbines spin, they generate electricity. This is how a dam helps to light up our homes and schools.

3. Preventing Floods: When it rains a lot, rivers can sometimes overflow and cause floods. But a dam can help to prevent this. It does this by holding back the extra water when there is too much rain.

4. Helping with Irrigation: There are many rice fields in Japan. They need a lot of water to maintain rice fields. Dams help by storing water and then releasing it slowly into fields where rice is grown. This is called irrigation.

So, dams are very useful, aren't they? They help us in many ways by storing water, generating electricity, preventing floods, and helping to grow crops like rice. We should be thankful for dams and the people who build it and maintaining them!

Let's study!

• Find out how many dams are there in your prefecture. (Using Google map)

• Explain why the dam is located in that area.