81 The History of Dams on the Fox River Halimat Sanusi The historical river was not only used for entertainment purposes, but it also possesses a practical use as well. The multiple dams on the river provide hydroelectric power for the surrounding towns and areas, most notably the Dayton dam. The natural location of the river was utilized to create a pragmatic use for the humans around the Fox River. Originally, the Fox River was used similarly to how other bodies of water are utilized: as a source of transportation, food, and other everyday necessities. As time progressed, technological advancements and eras began to take hold of American society. Businesses, factories, and towns with growing populations needed a way to receive energy to keep them all afloat. With fossil fuels being used as cheap means of energy that were chipping away at the environment, more sustainable methods of power were being sought after, such as hydroelectric power. The US Department of Energy added that it “allowed power to be transmitted long distances.”1 Hydroelectric was generated in a similar fashion to that of a coal-fired power plant. Steam is used to cause a turbine to propel in a coal-fired plant whereas, with a hydroelectric plant, the flow of falling water causes the movement of the turbine. The turbine then produces electricity through the metal shaft of an electric generator.2 Many bodies of water across America were being used as a source of energy by the creation of dams along them and the Fox River was not privy to this. Besides the practical use, the government also built the dams for their visually appealing aspects. The beauty of the dams would 1 US Department of Energy, "History of Hydropower," Energy.gov, accessed November 13, 2022, https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/history-hydropower. 2 Water Science School, "Hydroelectric Power: How It Works | U.S. Geological Survey," USGS.gov | Science for a Changing World, last modified June 6, 2018, https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-scienceschool/science/hydroelectric-power-how-it-works#overview.
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