When flowing water is captured and turned into electricity, it is called hydroelectric power or hydropower. Hydropower is currently the largest source of renewable power, generating nearly 7 percent of the electricity used in the United States (and 4 percent of the electricity used in Kentucky).
There are thousands of hydropower dams in the United States located on many of our most important rivers and streams. These dams can create pollution-free energy, but they can also produce significant adverse impacts on fish and wildlife and other resources. Low-impact hydropower is a type of hydropower that seeks to reduce the environmental impacts associated with hydropower generation.
The Virtual Hydropower Prospector is a Web-based tool that identifies existing and potential water energy resources in the United States.