The national parks preceded the National Park Service, but the first great natural park was a state park. Californiaâs Yosemite State Park was established in 1864, by a federal cession approved by President Abraham Lincoln, and on October 21, 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes toured Californiaâs Yosemite in an open carriage.
In fact, humans have been capturing the energy of moving water for thousands of years. Today, harnessing the power of moving water to generate electricity, known as hydroelectric power, is the largest source of emissions-free, renewable electricity in the United States and worldwide.
Where Does Hydroelectric Energy Come From? Hydroelectric energy can be defined as a form of hydropower where the motion of running water (kinetic energy) is converted into electricity. The water cycle is driven directly by solar energy. When the sun heats the water in the ocean, some of the water on the surface is vaporized. The water vapor rises and when it reaches higher layers of air and is cooled, the water falls down in the form of rain, hail or snow.