▁g ass es ▁than ▁foss il ▁based ▁power ▁sources , ▁which ▁helps ▁mit ig ate ▁climate ▁change , ▁acid ▁ra ins , ▁and ▁sm og . ▁H ydro elect ric ▁power ▁also ▁impro ves ▁the ▁air ▁quality ▁we ▁bre at he ▁because ▁it ▁does ▁not ▁emit ▁air ▁poll ut ants , ▁and ▁the ▁plants ▁do ▁not ▁produce ▁to xic ▁by products . ▁H ydro elect ric ▁power ▁plants ▁have ▁an ▁average ▁lifetime ▁of ▁ 5 0 ▁– ▁ 1 0 0 ▁years , ▁meaning ▁they ▁are ▁strateg ic ▁invest ments ▁that ▁can ▁support ▁many ▁future ▁gener ations . ▁They ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁easily ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁fall ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁the ▁modern ▁day ’ s ▁techn ological ▁requirements ▁and ▁have ▁consider ably ▁lower ▁operating ▁and ▁maintenance ▁costs . ▁ ▁Land ▁use ▁is ▁a ▁topic ▁of ▁concern ▁regarding ▁this ▁energy ▁source , ▁as ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁res er voir ▁created ▁by ▁a ▁hydro elect ric ▁project ▁can ▁vary ▁widely . ▁Flo oding ▁land ▁for ▁a ▁hydro elect ric ▁res er voir ▁has ▁a ▁significant ▁environmental ▁impact , ▁as ▁it ▁dest ro ys ▁forest , ▁wild life ▁habitat , ▁agricult ural ▁land , ▁and ▁scen ic ▁lands . ▁There ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁significant ▁impact ▁on ▁wild life . ▁Fish ▁and ▁other ▁organ isms ▁can ▁be ▁injured ▁and ▁killed ▁by ▁tur bine ▁bl ades . ▁As ide ▁from ▁direct ▁contact , ▁there ▁are ▁also ▁wild life ▁impact s ▁within ▁the ▁dam med ▁res er voir s ▁and ▁down stream ▁from ▁the ▁facility . ▁Res er