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Bipa NJ, Stradiotti G, Righetti M, Pisaturo GR. Impacts of hydropeaking: A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169251. [PMID: 38101637 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Hydropower is commonly considered a renewable energy source. Nevertheless, this does not imply an absence of impacts on the riverine ecosystem, the extent of which is expected to increase in the coming years due to the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources and for the climate change. A common consequence of hydroelectric power generation is hydropeaking, which causes rapid and frequent fluctuations in the water flow downstream of hydropower plants. The review incorporates 155 relevant studies published up until November 2023 and follows a systematic review method, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), which is a multi-stage systematic procedure for the identification and selection of research documents. The selected studies highlighted several prominent impacts of hydropeaking on aquatic environments. The primary effects include alterations in flow patterns, modification of water temperature, changes in sediment dynamics and fluctuations in dissolved gas levels. These alterations have been found to affect various aspects of aquatic ecosystems, including fish growth, behavior, reproductive success, habitat, and migration patterns, and benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Furthermore, hydropeaking can also lead to habitat fragmentation, erosion, and loss of riparian vegetation, thereby impacting terrestrial ecosystems that depend on the aquatic environment. Despite the body of literature reviewed, several knowledge gaps were identified, underscoring the need for further research. There is limited understanding of the long-term ecological consequences of hydropeaking and its cumulative effects on aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, there is lack of consensus regarding the quantification of ecosystem services, economic impact, soil moisture content, and weighted usable area due to flow fluctuation and global evolution of energy production from renewable energy sources. Addressing the identified research gaps is crucial for achieving a balance between energy production and the conservation of freshwater ecosystems in the context of a rapidly changing global climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nusrat Jahan Bipa
- Sustainable Development and Climate Change, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy; Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Engineering, Universitätsplatz 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
| | - Giulia Stradiotti
- Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Engineering, Universitätsplatz 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
| | - Maurizio Righetti
- Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Engineering, Universitätsplatz 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Roberto Pisaturo
- Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Engineering, Universitätsplatz 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
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Mameri D, Hayes DS, Führer S, Fauchery E, Schmutz S, Monserat A, Hasler T, Graf DRM, Santos JM, Ferreira MT, Auer S. Cold thermopeaking-induced drift of nase Chondrostoma nasus larvae. AQUATIC SCIENCES 2023; 85:56. [PMID: 36987436 PMCID: PMC10038962 DOI: 10.1007/s00027-023-00955-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Research on how intermittent water releases from hydropower plants affect the early life stages of fish has advanced in the last years, focusing not only on the direct impacts of rapid flow changes (hydropeaking), but also on the short-term fluctuations in water temperature (thermopeaking). Flow and thermal fluctuations caused by hydropeaking may affect fish movement patterns and migration at critical stages of a species' life cycle, e.g., by inducing passive downstream drift. Using two experimental outdoor channels, we investigated how nase (Chondrostoma nasus, Cypriniformes) larvae respond to a rapid drop in water temperature during hydropeaking (simulating a cold thermopeaking event), reaching on average 5.5 °C under peak flow (maximum discharge) conditions, in comparison with a hydropeaking treatment with a constant water temperature regime. Responses of fish larvae were analyzed during acclimation, up-ramping (increase in discharge), peak flow and down-ramping (decrease in discharge) phases. Fish drift increased during peak flow in the cold thermopeaking treatment compared to hydropeaking. Higher drift rates were also negatively associated with pronounced water temperature drops during peak flow conditions. In addition, the starting temperature of the experiment influenced drift during up-ramping. Overall, the results suggest that cold thermopeaking may increase drift in the early life stages of cypriniform fish compared with hydropeaking with stable water temperature. Hence, monitoring and active water temperature adjustments following hydropower releases should be adopted as strategies to mitigate power plant-related impacts on aquatic organisms. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00027-023-00955-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Mameri
- Forest Research Centre (CEF) and Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - D. S. Hayes
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria
| | - S. Führer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria
| | - E. Fauchery
- Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tours, 64 Avenue Jean Portalis, 37200 Tours, France
| | - S. Schmutz
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria
| | - A. Monserat
- École Nationale Supérieure de l’Energie, l’Eau et l’Environnement, 21 Avenue Des Martyrs, 38031 Grenoble, France
| | - T. Hasler
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria
| | - D. R. M. Graf
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria
| | - J. M. Santos
- Forest Research Centre (CEF) and Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M. T. Ferreira
- Forest Research Centre (CEF) and Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - S. Auer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria
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Halleraker JH, Kenawi MS, L'Abée-Lund JH, Bakken TH, Alfredsen K. Assessment of flow ramping in water bodies impacted by hydropower operation in Norway - Is hydropower with environmental restrictions more sustainable? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154776. [PMID: 35390377 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hydropower production is a key electricity generation technology in many parts of the world which can play a significant role in the transition towards a green and clean energy system. Hydropower can mobilize flexible energy on demand (hydropeaking) to balance out intermittent electricity from wind and photovoltaics. Adoption of hydropower as a peaking power source could lead to increased frequency of flow ramping in rivers downstream hydropower tailraces, which is one of the main stressors for riverine biota in alpine rivers. Both planned and accidental shutdowns of hydropower turbines need ecological mitigation. Our survey revealed that >3000 km of rivers downstream ca 800 hydropower plants in Norway may be ecologically impacted by non-natural flow fluctuations, and few have appropriate mitigation thresholds. A considerable eco-friendly peaking service may come from the Norwegian hydropower portfolio of over 19 GW installed capacity, with outlets into fjords, reservoirs or other large water bodies which normally dampen the ecological impacts of flow ramping. Intensive flow ramping occurs with irregular intervals from most types of hydropower. Although the highest frequency of stops were revealed in hydropower turbines not impacting river flow from storage hydropower, a significant number of turbine flow stops lasting over half a day in most types and categories of diversion hydropower. We suggest that further emerging ecosystem-based mitigations need to be adapted in hydropower licenses. This includes operational thresholds for both up and down ramping, constructional measures like by-pass valves, retention basins and increased base-flow or flow cap to ensure sustainability for hydropower operations. Our data reveal some of the most intensive hydropeaking operations from hydropower impacting longer rivers. Hence, our data underpins the potential for restoring downstream modified flow by ecosystem based measures related to both up and down ramping events in many regulated rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Halvard Halleraker
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, S.P. Andersens veg 5, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway; Norwegian Environment Agency, P.O. Box 5672 Torgarden, N-7485 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Mahmoud Saber Kenawi
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, S.P. Andersens veg 5, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jan Henning L'Abée-Lund
- Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, P.O. Box 5091, Majorstua, N-0301 Oslo, Norway
| | - Tor Haakon Bakken
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, S.P. Andersens veg 5, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Knut Alfredsen
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, S.P. Andersens veg 5, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway
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