A holistic framework for environmental flows determination in hydropower contexts : 2013 project report /
The consensus view in the ecological science community is that the natural flow regime sustains the ecological integrity of river systems. In order to provide better conditions for aquatic biological communities, changes are needed in hydropower dam operations to affect downstream river flows. Ident...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Additional Author(s): | Bevelhimer, Mark S., |
| Corporate Contributor(s): | United States. Department of Energy Oak Ridge National Laboratory, |
| Publisher: | Oak Ridge National Laboratory, |
| Report Numbers: | SuWa 226 |
| Funding Numbers: | Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract |
| Series: | Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project document ;
no. 226. |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to Full Text |
| Library Holdings: | Print Versions |
| Summary: | The consensus view in the ecological science community is that the natural flow regime sustains the ecological integrity of river systems. In order to provide better conditions for aquatic biological communities, changes are needed in hydropower dam operations to affect downstream river flows. Identifying the magnitude, frequency, duration, timing, or rate of change of stream flows to meet ecological needs is a challenge to hydropower dam owners. This report addresses the limitations of existing environmental flow paradigms and their applications to hydropower, and it presents a new framework catered towards hydropower needs. The Instream Flow Project (IFP) was carried out by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Argon National Laboratory to develop tools aimed at defining environmental flow needs for hydropower operations. Hydropower projects in the United States are subject to FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) licensing and relicensing procedures, which can take several years and be very expensive. The purpose of the framework is to organize efforts used to determine environmentally acceptable flows for hydropower into a staged process, which can be applied to expedite the regulatory process. |
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| Physical Description: | vii, 52 p. : col. ill., col. maps ; 28 cm. |
| Notes: | "Submitted to The United States Department of Energy"--Cover. "April 2013." "ORNL/TM-2013/159." ARLIS assigned report number: SuWa 226. This document is made available by Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS) on behalf of Alaska Energy Authority for the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project. Downloaded from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Environmental Sciences Division website on February 10, 2015. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (p. 43-52). |