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That map doesn't really contradict the "Texas is flat" proposition: it takes over 400 miles to rise 3000 feet. OK sure they could have decent hydroelectric near
by jessaustin 4y ago
That map doesn't really contradict the "Texas is flat" proposition: it takes over 400 miles to rise 3000 feet. OK sure they could have decent hydroelectric near El Paso, if it ever rained there, but the dams listed at your link for the other 95% of the state have less generating capacity together (even if we count the capacity that rightfully belongs to Mexico or Oklahoma) than Wilson Dam in Alabama, which was built in 1924.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- Retric 4y agoThe Amistad Dam (254 ft) and Mansfield Dam (278ft) in Texas are roughly twice the height and therefore extract roughly twice the energy per cubic foot of water flowing through it as Wilson Dam (134 ft). Texas has 3 more dams are again taller than Wilson Dam, they just doesn’t get nearly the flow. So, Texas as I mentioned has minimal hydropower because it lacks rainfall, but it also suffers because it lacks large out of state rivers due to that same huge west to east elevation drop. In fact if you look at it’s rivers they each have a relatively tiny watershed. https://texasaquaticscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/C3_fig3.2-aquatic-science-texas.jpg https://texasaquaticscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/C... The Rio Grand is famous, but was never very big and currently flows through some thirsty areas.
- iso1631 4y agoHow does Texas fare in pumped hydro? Seems it's a great place for Solar and Wind (both onshore where there's millions of acres of desert, and offshore in the Gulf), excess production can be used for pumped hydro.