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Hydropower

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Submitted By vipul1989
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1. Introduction
The overpopulation of the world have arisen a question of sustainable energy sources rather than the fossil fuels. Hydropower is alternative way of generating electricity using the energy of flowing water which is a renewable, clean and low-cost energy source and utmost important for the future. According to World Commission on Dams (2000) there are almost 45000 large dams on the rivers of world producing 19% of the world’s total energy (Wang, Dong & Lassoie 2014). The energy production by using water flow can be obtained by construction of dams and formation of reservoirs on the specific areas on healthy rivers. While, construction of these hydro power plants acquires huge land and transformation of river flows. The purpose of this report is to investigate the serious problems caused by hydropower plants and suggest possible solutions to these. Firstly, this report will describe two significant problems associated with hydropower plant development which are relocation of inhabitants and damage on aquatic species. Secondly, the report suggests that resettlement program is potential solution to manage the impacts of forced displacement and the development of passage system can manage the harm on aquatic species. Finally this report concludes by proposing recommendations which hydroelectric enterprises, social activists and local authorities working for development must implement in order to lessen the effects of hydroelectricity projects.

2. Problems with hydro power
Two major problems associated with hydroelectricity are relocation of inhabitants and damage on aquatic species. Development of dams and reservoirs severely affect human life and aquatic species. 2.1 Relocation of inhabitants
The social impact associated with construction of hydropower plants is relocation of inhabitants. For the production of hydroelectricity, engineering of dams and reservoirs requires transformation of large spaces of riverside land and river flows. This possession of land in order to build dams and protect surroundings from flooding results into relocation of riverside consequently causes the loss of their homes and farmlands. A study carried by Bermann (2007) in Brazil, construction of reservoir acquired huge portion of land which led compulsory displacement of 200 thousand families from the affected land. Similarly another research shows that the same process of this development in India resulted in largest displacement of 50-55 million people in past 50 years (Fernandes, cited in Cernea 2004, p.8). In addition, People mostly living on riverside are depended on the income from water sources such as agriculture and fisheries and also they have cultural practices connected with the land. Due to the development of hydroelectricity projects, losing all their wealth by displacement results in anxiety, vulnerability and impoverishment. They might have to move to new and far places and struggle for their living which results into decline of their living standards than before displacement. For example, according to study by Wang, Dong & Lassoie (2014) Three million people had been relocated from Sanmexea Dam, China to a new place which had very low-soil fertility land and impacted those villages into extreme poverty. Similarly, another study by (Jeronymo, cited in Bermann 2007) at Tijuco Alto Hydro Power Plant, people were forced displaced to mountainous place where they had to struggle for even basic services such as electricity, educational and health services. The displacement of people disregarding their social and cultural values can cause social disruption amongst people and leads to some serious impacts on their health as well. The above evidence clearly narrate that engineering work of hydropower plants have serious impacts on livelihood of people which results into more poverty and worsen the quality of life. 2.2 Damage on aquatic life
Another significant problem associated with hydroelectricity is damage on aquatic life. In order to produce water force, river flows are altered by reservoirs and dams. Diversion of water for electricity generation and returning back to main downstream channels results in substantial flow reductions and timely fluctuations (Anderson, Freeman & Pringle 2006; Agostinho, Pelicice & Gomes 2008). The hydrological changes in water flow and sedimentation in river affects the habitat of aquatic species. Long distance migratory fishes require definite water flow to complete their life cycle which is consequently affected by cascade dams as barriers (Agostinho, Pelicice & Gomes 2008). Another research shows that adult salmonids and torrent fish are mostly affected by fluctuations of water levels as their natural habitat is constant flow and deep water (Young, Smart & Harding 2004). As a result of disturbance in water flow, decreases the habitat availability for fishes and creates difficulties for migration and spawning which leads extinction of valuable fish species. In fact, a study conducted in Three Gorges Dam, found that after the completion of dam there was a rapid drop in population of China’s most popular three fishes (Xie et al., cited in Wang, Dong & Lassoie 2014, p. 46). Similarly, a study by Anderson, Freeman& Pringle (2006), physical barriers caused by dams restrict the swimming movement of fishes from downstream on Puerto Viejo River, resulted almost extinction of local fish; Agonostomus Monticola which generally used to be found in the river. Thus, hydropower plants potentially damage the aquatic species which are very important for ecological balance. 3. Solutions to these problems
The problems of relocation of inhabitants and damage on aquatic species can be reduced by resettlement programs and developed fish passage system. 3.1 Resettlement programs
The serious socio-economic impact on relocation of inhabitants can be dealt in a manner to reduce the loss of their sources and declined living standard by implementation of resettlement programs. For example, a particular program of technical assistance in development for resettlement has been initiated in 4 Asian nations (India, China, Laos and Vietnam) by Asia Development Bank (Price, cited in Cernea 2004). According to World Bank’s resettlement policy, it includes providing better livelihood, reliable assessments and establishments of organisations to help in developments and responding to their needs. The social impacts on affected people must be in account to ensure that they are moved to better livelihood and provided some alternate developed income sources which they had been relied before displacement. For example, China has adopted major policies and social standards in order to increase social and cultural aspects of displaced people (Shi & Chen, cited in Cernea 2004). Moreover, the affected people are also provided cash compensation to sustain their living better. In addition, involvement of social organisation and local government can be very helpful in mitigation of these effects by supporting them for their rights. A successful example, a study carried by Dash (2008) shows that under resettlement policy, concerned ministries and local Governments participated to ensure the protection of displaced people of The Upper Indrāvati-electric project in India, had been resettled and provided more compensation as well as employment opportunities which improved their family income and poverty line has been reduced than the pre-displacement. In addition, another study of Three Gorges Dam, relocated people had received new houses and farmlands to sustain their life in better way under the implementation of compensation policy, also government provided facilities such as Schools and Hospitals (Wang, Dong & Lassoie 2014). It seems that the implementation of policy under proper guidelines can be very effective in reducing the effects on people. 3.2 Fish passage system
The impact on aquatic species caused by hydropower projects can be reduced by developing different fish passage systems on dams which allow fishes to pass both upstream and downstream without the barriers and the fluctuated water flow caused by hydro plants. Firstly, for upstream passage, there are fish ladders and fish elevators are developed on the dams. Fish ladders are used as stairways with neutral surface which can easily let the fishes pass through downstream end to upstream level of water which is or else obstructed by dams and moreover it had been provided specific water flow that attracts the fishes to swim to ladders (Schilts 2007). In a study carried out by Bunt et al. (cited in Schilt 2007) fish ladders are successful in passing upstream migratory fishes like shads and salmonids and some other fishes as well. Another way of passing upstream fishes is fish elevators which are like capturing fishes under the dams and leaving them on upstream level of water. A study reports that fish elevators had been effective in capturing Juvenile eels and transferring them to upstream level (Boubee et al., cited in Young, Smart & Harding 2004). Secondly, there is another passage system for downstream migratory fishes which is turbine passage. In turbine passage system turbines are specifically designed for fishes to pass through. A study by Schilt (2007) found that most of the fishes survive downstream passage from turbines depending on their size and age and some of them get injured. However these passage systems are potentially successful for targeted fishes but it seems that more architectural and technological advancement in future could be beneficial to reduce the harm on aquatic species. 4. Conclusion
In conclusion, construction of hydroelectricity plants cause problems on local livelihood and environment. As outlined in this report, engineering work of reservoirs and formation of river flows causes problems of relocation of inhabitants which potentially generates impoverishment and health issues. Moreover, it also damages aquatic life, results in change in ecosystem. Hence this report has suggested two practical solutions which can reduce the effects of these problems. Firstly, proper implementation of resettlement and rehabilitation policy can promote the involvement of people and local authorities to pursue the development of new residence with more alternate income sources to avoid impoverishment. Furthermore, developed passage systems on dams can reduce the damage on aquatic species in migration and spawning. The above findings demonstrate the need to mitigate the problems caused by development of hydro power plants, more research needs to be done and must be examined the costs of social and environmental risks on the affected people and species by the project planners as well as by the local communities and some environmental organisations to estimate the adverse outcome from the projects and must be documented in terms of recognising the risks which can be resettled afterwards throughout the project. Therefore this report recommends that involvement of local communities, social activists and NGOs to ensure that enterprises constructing hydropower plants represented the accurate values of their lands and compensations and hydropower enterprises should provide some direct shares from profits to affected people to make better living consistently as a return of their loss of economic sources. A further recommendation hydropower planners must consider site selection for their plants which is less harmful for aquatic species and must let some rivers be free on their natural flow in order to balance the ecosystem. By the successful implementation of these recommendations, the outcome of these effects can be reduced and it could even become a source of development.
Word count: 1789

5. References
Agostinho, AA, Pelicice, FM & Gomes, LC 2008, ‘Dams and fish fauna of the neotropical region: impacts and management related to diversity and fisheries’, Brazilian Journal of Biology, vol. 68, no. 4, pp. 1129-1132.

Anderson, EP, Freeman, MC, & Pringle, CM 2006, ‘Ecological Consequences of hydropower development in central America: impacts of small dams and water diversion on neotropical stream fish assemblages’, River Research and Application, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 397-411.

Bermann, C 2007, ‘Impasses and controversies of hydroelectricity’, Estudos Avancados, vol. 21, no. 59, pp. 139-154.

Dash, SP 2008, ‘Resettlement and rehabilitation in Orissa: a study of the upper Indravati hydro-electric project’, Social Change, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 661-688.

Schilt, CR 2007, ‘Developing fish passage and protection at hydropower dams’, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 104, no. 3, pp. 295-325.

Wang, P, Dong, S & Lassoie, JP 2014, The large dam dilemma an exploration of the impacts of hydro projects on people and the environment in China, Springer, Dordrecht, Holland.

Young, R., Smart, G., & Harding, J. 2004, ‘Impacts of hydro-dams, irrigation schemes and river control works’, in J Harding, P Mosley, C Pearson & B Sorrell (eds), Freshwaters of New Zealand, New Zealand Hydrological Society & New Zealand Limnological Society, Wellington, pp. 37.1-37.15.

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