Minimizing environmental impacts of hydropower development: transferring lessons from past projects to a proposed strategy for Chile

Abstract

Large dams have provided extensive benefits during the past 60 years but have also resulted in ecological and social consequences that were unexpected or were deemed to have a lower societal importance than the design benefits. The management of large dams is still a relatively new scientific issue, compared to the timeframe necessary to detect and understand all the consequences occurring at the watershed scale. This paper summarizes the unforeseen or unanticipated environmental consequences of these projects and potential ramifications to the overall project performance. The value of a central knowledge base and the importance of a system-wide monitoring program to assess pre-and post-implementation conditions and adapt operational rules are presented. Knowledge developed in several basins is reviewed in the context of future strategies for Chile. Chile has a strong economy, looming energy crisis and is faced with balancing the long-term value of a renowned natural landscape with unique ecology and the largest salmon aquaculture industry in the world against the prospect of low cost hydropower to drive other sectors of the economy. This paper outlines the hydroinformatics technologies and scientifically based management approaches that can be applied to this complex issue.

Factors Influencing Movements of Two Migratory Fishes within the Tailrace of a Large Neotropical Dam and their Implications for Hydropower Impacts

“…Efforts to meet these increasing demands have resulted in impoundment of the majority of largest rivers in the world (Nilsson et al , ) representing about 16% of total electricity production (International Energy Agency, ). Although hydropower is important for economic growth, there are concerns about its impacts on aquatic biodiversity (Agostinho et al , ; Goodwin et al , ; Winemiller et al , ). For migratory fishes, these dams and their reservoirs often represent insurmountable obstacles, both to upstream movement of adults to spawning areas, as well as the downstream movement of their offspring toward rearing areas (Agostinho et al , ; Suzuki et al , ; Pelicice et al , ).…”

Science and management of transboundary lakes: Lessons learned from the global environment facility program

“…Lake General Carrera, O'Higgins and Cochrane are among the largest and deepest lakes in the Americas with characteristics of ultra-oligotrophic waters and very little human presence. Today these ecosystems are threatened by various investment projects related to hydropower development and aquaculture (salmon) production (Goodwin et al, 2006, Wright et al, 2008. In addition, unprecedented glacial retreat is currently being observed (Araneda et al, 2007(Araneda et al, , , 2009) and primarily associated with global climate change.…”

Glaciers in Patagonia: Controversy and prospects

“…A hallmark example of a worthwhile controversy is being played out in Patagonia, Chile, between proponents and antagonists of HidroAysén's plans for five huge hydroelectric dams on the Baker and Pascua rivers [Romero Toledo et al, 2009;Vince, 2010]. The argument's essence is simple: development to provide sufficient hydroelectric power to drive Chile through the 21st century versus conservation of one of the world's last remaining pristine wildernesses [Goodwin et al, 2006] containing extensive intact forests and suffering less population pressure than almost any other wilderness [Mitter meier et al, 2003]. Patagonia's Baker River and other glacier-fed streams and wetlands host spectacular avian fauna, among other natural splendors (see Figure S1 in the online supplement to this Forum (http://www.agu.org/journals/eo/v093/ i022/2012EO220011/2012EO220011_suppl .pdf)).…”