Author(s): Leonor Caetano; Antonio Pinheiro; Isabel Boavida
Linked Author(s): António Pinheiro
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Hydropower plant (HPP) operations in response to variations in market energy demand and electricity production can generate rapid and frequent fluctuations of discharge in the river, downstream the HPP. The phenomenon, so-called hydropeaking, may result in a negative impact to fish populations. The present study aims to investigate the effects of hydropeaking in the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) habitat conditions. The River2D model was used to obtain the habitat suitability downstream of the hydropower plant. The influence of the environmental flow regime in the habitat conditions and in the flow fluctuations due to hydropeaking was assessed. The COSH-Tool was applied in order to quantify and characterize those rapid fluctuations (with and without the environmental flow), with the purpose of assessing the impacts in the fish habitat.
Year: 2018