Wikipedia article of the day for September 30, 2026
The Wikipedia article of the day for September 30, 2026 is Dam . A dam is a structure that impounds water or restricts its flow. The four types are gravity dams (example pictured), embankment dams, buttress dams, and arch dams. Dams provide irrigation, hydropower, water supply, flood management, recreation, inland navigation, and fish farming. An early dam was the Jawa Dam in modern Jordan, built around 3000 BCE. From the late 18th century, the process of designing dams changed from an informal practice to an engineering discipline. In the 20th century, the widespread availability of concrete led to the creation of many large dams worldwide. Dams may include locks, fish ladders, spillways, and power stations. Dams occasionally fail, resulting in flooding and loss of life. Organized opposition to dam projects emerged in the modern era, focused on environmental and social impacts such as the loss of plant and animal habitats, reduced water and sediment flow, degraded landscape aestheti...