Rivers and Human Settlements
Many cultures have legends about rivers because rivers are so important to human civilization. Even in modern America, rivers appear prominently in books, music, and other forms of art. The picture shows a famous bridge. Do you know what major U.S. city is home to this bridge? Why do you think the large city you see here was built on the banks of a river? Roll over the image with your mouse to find out.
Humans want to control rivers so we can take better advantage of their services. We build dams to control the flow of water, help prevent floods, and to harness the energy of falling water for hydroelectric power. The energy behind a dam is used to generate electricity. But rivers are also often used for waste disposal. Sometimes humans put waste in rivers so that it can be "washed away." In the United States, the pollutants in the water have to be removed before the water can be put back into a river. In less-developed countries, the water is seldom treated before getting back to the river.
