From what was once ancient Mesopotamia to the high plateaus and gorges of Tibet, dams can be found throughout the world. An enduring way to harness natural resources for development, dams are an integral structure to our civilizations. The first known dam, built in the fourth century B.C.E., brought a steady supply of water for crop irrigation to the people of Jawa, the location of the oldest proto-urban development in Jordan. The dam enabled one of the very first civilizations to feed and fuel its growing population.

Mechanical power generated from the force of flowing water had humble beginnings in…