HydroVision INDIA 19-21 April 2012, New Delhi Session 8c Addressing Environmental Considerations Environmental Impacts of Hydropower Production - How can we Avoid/Mitigate Negative Effects on the Aquatic System? Stefan Schmutz & Rafaela Schinegger Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Contents • Introduction • Hydro power and its ecological consequences – Impoundment – Hydro peaking – Reservoir flushing – Migration barriers • Restoration of migration corridor – Residual flow • Calculation of environmental flow - EF in Austria • Preserving aquatic ecosystem services 2 Stefan Schmutz
Directive on Energy from renewable resources Consequences � 3.5 TWh/a by 2015 Barrier not passable or fish Barrier passable or fish Planned hydropower plant 3 Stefan Schmutz
Impoundments Stefan Schmutz
Impoundments �������� Loss of fluvial habitat � Aggregation of fine sediments � Clogging of river bed � Loss of habitat diversity Disruption of longitudinal continuity � Fish migration � Sediment transport Loss of lateral connectivity � Decoupling river - floodplain � Loss of inundation area � Reduced inundation frequency � Disruption of lateral fish migration Schmutz et al., 2010 5 Stefan Schmutz
Impoundments �������� ��������� �������� �������� Loss of fluvial habitat Floodplain channel systems � Diverting part of the river to Aggregation of fine floodplain sediments � Clogging of river bed Channel restoration (upstream � Loss of habitat diversity part only) Fish pass facilitiesFloodplain Disruption of longitudinal channel systems continuity Diverting part of the river to � Fish migration floodplain � Sediment transport Channel restoration (upstream part only) Loss of lateral connectivity � Decoupling river - floodplain Fish pass facilities � Loss of inundation area � Reduced inundation frequency � Disruption of lateral fish migration 6 Stefan Schmutz
Impoundments ��������� Loss of fluvial habitat Floodplain channel systems Diverting part of the river to Aggregation of fine floodplain sediments Clogging of river bed Channel restoration (upstream Loss of habitat diversity part only) Fish pass facilities Disruption of longitudinal continuity Fish migration Sediment transport Loss of lateral connectivity Decoupling river - floodplain Loss of inundation area Reduced inundation frequency Limited Disruption of lateral fish migration enhancement options for impoundments 7 Stefan Schmutz
Impoundments �������� ��������� ����������������� Loss of fluvial habitat Floodplain channel systems Loss of fluvial habitat cannot be Diverting part of the river to compensated by restoration Aggregation of fine floodplain measures sediments Clogging of river bed Channel restoration (upstream Long-term function of Loss of habitat diversity part only) implemented measures Fish pass facilities Disruption of longitudinal Floodplain channel systems continuity Diverting part of the river to Fish migration floodplain Sediment transport Channel restoration (upstream part only) Loss of lateral connectivity Decoupling river - floodplain Fish pass facilities Loss of inundation area Reduced inundation frequency Disruption of lateral fish migration 8 Stefan Schmutz
Hydro peaking �������� Peak flow Flushing effects Stranding effects Temperature alterations Minimum flow Altered habitat quality and quantity 9 Stefan Schmutz
Hydro peaking �������� Peak flow Flushing effects Stranding effects Temperature alterations Minimum flow Altered habitat quality and quantity Influence of hydro peaking on the fish stock of the Bregenzerach 10 Stefan Schmutz
Hydro peaking �������� ��������� Peak flow General solutions � Removal of hydro peaking Flushing effects � Application of ecological flow Stranding effects Ecological flow Temperature alterations � Applying minimum flow Minimum flow � Dampen peak flow Altered habitat quality and • Altered HP operation quantity • Compensation reservoir • Coordination of power plants Methodologies and criteria 11 Stefan Schmutz
Hydro peaking ��������� Reaction of brown trout (Bregenzerach) to -increased residual flow and -elimination of hydro peaking 12 Stefan Schmutz
Hydro peaking �������� ��������� ����������������� � Peak flow General solutions Reaction to hydro- peaking � Removal of hydro peaking widely unknown for most Flushing effects � Application of ecological flow fish species Stranding effects Ecological flow � Lacking national and Temperature alterations � Applying minimum flow European standards Minimum flow � Dampen peak flow � Few case studies available Altered habitat quality and • Altered HP operation (AT, N) quantity • Compensation reservoir � Lack of monitoring (good • Coordination of power status) plants � Interaction with morphology Methodologies and criteria 13 Stefan Schmutz
HyTEC – Hydromorphology and Temperature Experimental Channel t w , v m Stefan Schmutz
Reservoir & impoundment flushing �������� Water quality degradation Turbidity ��������� Suspended solids �������� ������� Oxygen depletion Toxics Habitat alteration Deposition of fine sediments Clogging of river bed ������������������� ��������� 15 Stefan Schmutz
Reservoir & impoundment flushing �������� ��������� Water quality degradation Flushing management � Flushing during high flows Turbidity � Flushing outside reproductive Suspended solids period of fish species Oxygen depletion � Limit SS concentrations � Adjust flushing frequency Toxics Dredging Habitat alteration Deposition of fine sediments Morphological adaptations of Clogging of river bed impoundments � Improving sediment transport 16 Stefan Schmutz
Reservoir & impoundment flushing �������� ��������� ����������������� � Water quality degradation Flushing management Detailed criteria and limits � Flushing during high flows for guaranteeing water Turbidity � Flushing outside reproductive quality standards during Suspended solids period of fish species flushing Oxygen depletion � Limit SS concentrations � Adjust flushing frequency Toxics � Innovative design of impoundments for better Dredging sediment transport Habitat alteration Deposition of fine sediments Morphological adaptations of � Long term sediment Clogging of river bed impoundments transport at catchment leve � Improving sediment transport 17 Stefan Schmutz
Migration barriers �������� Disruption of upstream fish migration Spawning migrations Feeding migrations Habitat shifts Recolonisation after floods Drift of larvae and juveniles Habitat fragmentation Fragmented populations 18 Stefan Schmutz
Migration barriers �������� ��������� Disruption of upstream fish Upstream solutions � Barrier removal migration � Fish pass Spawning migrations Upstream fish passes Feeding migrations � Nature-like fish bypass channels Habitat shifts � Nature-like pool passes � Ramps Recolonisation after floods � Vertical slot fish pass Drift of larvae and juveniles Design and biological criteria Habitat fragmentation Downstream solutions � Spill flow (over weir) Fragmented populations � Turbines � Downstream fish facilities � Avoiding entrainment into water intakes and guiding fish into bypass facilities � Fish friendly turbines � Others (transportation) 19 Stefan Schmutz
Migration barriers �������� ��������� ����������������� � Lacking European Disruption of upstream fish Upstream solutions � Barrier removal standards migration � � Fish pass EIFAC Working Group Spawning migrations Upstream fish passes on FISH PASSAGE Feeding migrations � Nature-like fish bypass channels BEST PRACTICES Habitat shifts � Nature-like pool passes � Attraction flow � Ramps Recolonisation after floods � Evaluation of fish passes � Vertical slot fish pass Drift of larvae and juveniles � Lack of methods to monitor Design and biological criteria the effectiveness of fish Habitat fragmentation passes Downstream solutions � Spill flow (over weir) Fragmented populations � Turbines � Downstream migration is � Downstream fish facilities considered as more � Avoiding entrainment problematic than upstream into water intakes and migration guiding fish into bypass � Technologies are less facilities advanced � Fish friendly turbines � � Others (transportation) Downstream migratory behaviour for most species unknown (only for some species) 20 Stefan Schmutz
Restoration of migratory corridor Rivers > 100km 2 � > 5 000 impassable barriers 21 Stefan Schmutz
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