Realizing ecosystem-safe hydropower from dams

For clean hydropower generation while sustaining ecosystems, minimizing harmful impacts and balancing multiple water needs is an integral component. One particularly harmful effect not managed explicitly by hydropower operations is thermal destabilization of downstream waters. To demonstrate that the thermal destabilization by hydropower dams can be managed while maximizing energy production, we modelled thermal change in downstream waters as a function of decision variables for hydropower operation (reservoir level, powered/spillway release, storage), forecast reservoir inflow and air temperature for a dam site with in situ thermal measurements. For data-limited regions, remote sensing-based temperature estimation algorithm was established using thermal infrared band of Landsat ETM+ over multiple dams. The model for water temperature change was used to impose additional constraints of tolerable downstream cooling or warming (1–6 °C of change) on multi-objective optimization to maximize hydropower. A reservoir release policy adaptive to thermally optimum levels for aquatic species was derived. The novel concept was implemented for Detroit dam in Oregon (USA). Resulting benefits to hydropower generation strongly correlated with allowable flexibility in temperature constraints. Wet years were able to satisfy stringent temperature constraints and produce substantial hydropower benefits, while dry years, in contrast, were challenging to adhere to the upstream thermal regime.