Lakes offered a natural reservoir of water for early communities. But most cities today have outgrown such natural supplies, and people have built huge storage dams in order to provide additional water. The reservoirs formed by these dams sometimes lie far away from the city. Lakes created as storage reservoirs can be used to generate electric power. To produce electric power, hydroelectric power plants make use of the force of water falling from the dam to the river below.
People use lakes for a variety of recreational activities.
They flock to lakes to enjoy fishing, boating, swimming, water-skiing, and ice skating. In such states as Florida, the freshwater recreational industry provides millions of dollars of income every year. James C. Walters, Ph.D., Professor of Geology, Univ. of Northern Iowa. How to cite this article.