Question

a rural town is considering constructing a dam to store water for agriculture what environmental damage is most likely to result from a new dam?

a. the water in the new reservoir will overheat and kill fish populations.

b. ecosystems will be destroyed in the dam’s location and downriver.

c. runoff from farms will pollute the new reservoir and kill wildlife.

d. many new species will invade and colonize the new water reservoir.

Explanation:

Constructing a dam floods the area behind it (destroying local ecosystems) and alters downstream flow, sediment transport, and habitat—directly disrupting downriver ecosystems. Option A is less likely as reservoirs typically moderate temperature; C relates to farm runoff (not the dam itself); D is not a form of damage. Thus, B is the most probable environmental damage.

Answer:

B. Ecosystems will be destroyed in the dam’s location and downriver.