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• The Austin Dam, near Austin, Texas, was completed. It was the first dam specifically designed for generating hydropower.
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• Hydropower was beginning to be used for electricity. The first hydroelectric plants were direct current (DC) stations used to power nearby arc and incandescent lighting.
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• The first Federal Water Power Act required special permission for a hydroelectric plant to be built and operated on any stream large enough for boat traffic
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• The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was established to take charge of the hydroelectric potential of the Mississippi River in the Tennessee Valley.
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• Almost one-third of the Nation's electricity came from hydropower.
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• Hydropower was used by the Greeks to turn water wheels for grinding grains more than 2,000 years ago.
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• The United States ranked among the Top 4 countries in the world for hydroelectric generation, along with China, Canada, and Brazil. These countries generated 44% of the world's electricity from hydropower.
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• Between 6% and 10% of U.S. electricity comes from hydropower,
