Using Hydro Power Plants for Flood Prevention - Revision history

Johanna at 12:52, 10 October 2019

2019-10-10T12:52:18Z

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Kyle Baker: /* Overview */

2019-10-09T15:15:37Z

Overview

Kirstin Bretthauer at 12:22, 4 April 2017

2017-04-04T12:22:51Z

Johanna von Behaim at 13:14, 27 March 2017

2017-03-27T13:14:36Z

Johanna von Behaim at 13:13, 27 March 2017

2017-03-27T13:13:12Z

Johanna at 08:55, 27 March 2017

2017-03-27T08:55:41Z

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Johanna von Behaim at 23:41, 26 March 2017

2017-03-26T23:41:00Z

Johanna von Behaim at 19:58, 26 March 2017

2017-03-26T19:58:38Z

Johanna von Behaim at 19:57, 26 March 2017

2017-03-26T19:57:22Z

Johanna von Behaim at 19:55, 26 March 2017

2017-03-26T19:55:23Z

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 = Overview<br/> =
-Hydro power plants provide clean and affordable electricity in large quantities. They are often the main renewable energy technology choice for governments due to its ability to deliver reliable baseload energy with very minimal fluctuation. Hydro power plants are also able to accommodate changing demand and suited to large scale network response.<ref name="Maehlum, M. A., 2014. Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons. [Online] Available at: http://energyinformative.org/hydroelectric-energy-pros-and-cons/ [Accessed March 2017].">Maehlum, M. A., 2014. Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://energyinformative.org/hydroelectric-energy-pros-and-cons/fckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>&nbsp;Hydro power plants require damming a water supply which in the process often affects a catchment area’s environment. The accumulation of water in turn change the flow of water, consequently its temperature and the migration of fish living along the affected water path. Water damming for Hydro power plants has further effects on local ecologies due to flooded vegetation, changing water depth and chemical composition, and effects on siltation.'''<ref name="U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2015. Hydropower & the Environment. [Online] Available at: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/data/index.cfm?page=hydropower_environment [Accessed March 2017].">U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2015. Hydropower & the Environment. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/data/index.cfm?page=hydropower_environmentfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>'''
+Hydro power plants provide clean and affordable electricity in large quantities. They are often the main renewable energy technology choice for governments due to its ability to deliver reliable baseload energy with very minimal fluctuation. Hydro power plants are also able to accommodate changing demand and suited to large scale network response.<ref name="Maehlum, M. A., 2014. Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons. [Online] Available at: https://greencoast.org/pros-and-cons-of-hydroelectric-power/ [Accessed October 2019].">Maehlum, M. A., 2019. Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: https://greencoast.org/pros-and-cons-of-hydroelectric-power/[Accessed October 2019].</ref>&nbsp;Hydro power plants require damming a water supply which in the process often affects a catchment area’s environment. The accumulation of water in turn change the flow of water, consequently its temperature and the migration of fish living along the affected water path. Water damming for Hydro power plants has further effects on local ecologies due to flooded vegetation, changing water depth and chemical composition, and effects on siltation.'''<ref name="U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2015. Hydropower & the Environment. [Online] Available at: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/data/index.cfm?page=hydropower_environment [Accessed March 2017].">U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2015. Hydropower & the Environment. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/data/index.cfm?page=hydropower_environmentfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>'''
 '''Hydro power plants can be used to regulate and reduce the risk of flooding'''. However, due to the large quantities of water stored in the dam of the Hydro power plants, they also bring with them a new risk of flooding. This article will examine the advantages and disadvantages in of Hydro power plants &nbsp;for flood prevention. For more information on hydro power plants in general, have a look at the [[Hydro Power Basics|Hydro Power Basics]]&nbsp;article<span style="font-size: 0.85em;">.</span>
 <br/>
 = The Impact of Flooding on People =

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-= Overview =
+= Overview<br/> =
 Hydro power plants provide clean and affordable electricity in large quantities. They are often the main renewable energy technology choice for governments due to its ability to deliver reliable baseload energy with very minimal fluctuation. Hydro power plants are also able to accommodate changing demand and suited to large scale network response.<ref name="Maehlum, M. A., 2014. Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons. [Online] Available at: http://energyinformative.org/hydroelectric-energy-pros-and-cons/ [Accessed March 2017].">Maehlum, M. A., 2014. Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://energyinformative.org/hydroelectric-energy-pros-and-cons/fckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>&nbsp;Hydro power plants require damming a water supply which in the process often affects a catchment area’s environment. The accumulation of water in turn change the flow of water, consequently its temperature and the migration of fish living along the affected water path. Water damming for Hydro power plants has further effects on local ecologies due to flooded vegetation, changing water depth and chemical composition, and effects on siltation.'''<ref name="U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2015. Hydropower & the Environment. [Online] Available at: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/data/index.cfm?page=hydropower_environment [Accessed March 2017].">U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2015. Hydropower & the Environment. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm/data/index.cfm?page=hydropower_environmentfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>'''
-'''Hydro power plants can be used to regulate and reduce the risk of flooding'''. However, due to the large quantities of water stored in the dam of the Hydro power plants, they also bring with them a new risk of flooding. This article will examine the advantages and disadvantages in of Hydro power plants &nbsp;for flood prevention. For more information on hydro power plants in general, have a look at the [[Hydro Power Basics|Hydro Power Basics]]&nbsp;article<span style="font-size: 0.85em">.</span>
+'''Hydro power plants can be used to regulate and reduce the risk of flooding'''. However, due to the large quantities of water stored in the dam of the Hydro power plants, they also bring with them a new risk of flooding. This article will examine the advantages and disadvantages in of Hydro power plants &nbsp;for flood prevention. For more information on hydro power plants in general, have a look at the [[Hydro Power Basics|Hydro Power Basics]]&nbsp;article<span style="font-size: 0.85em;">.</span>
 <br/>
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 Flooding can have severe impacts for the effected population. These include the destruction of homes and agricultural land, the loss of property and above all the risk of people drowning in the floods. The damage caused by a flood can often have long term negative effects and it can take many years for the flooded area to recover, potentially leading to large economic losses.
-The history of &nbsp;Hydro power plants has been filled with stories of dams failing, giving way to flood-inducing volumes of water and in turn causing flooding disasters.<font color="#0d6cb5">&nbsp;</font><span style="color:#000000">The recent failure of Oroville dam’s main spillway forced led authorities to allow overflow via the auxiliary spillway, putting in danger the ground on which the dam stands. This has caused the evacuation of thousands of people in California, who lived in regions at risk of flooding.<ref name="Brekke, D., 2017. Oroville Update: Dam’s Power Plant Shut Down Again, and Problems Emerge Downriver. [Online] Available at: https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/02/07/engineers-assess-spillway-problem-at-oroville-dam/ [Accessed March 2017].">Brekke, D., 2017. Oroville Update: Dam’s Power Plant Shut Down Again, and Problems Emerge Downriver. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/02/07/engineers-assess-spillway-problem-at-oroville-dam/fckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref></span>
+The history of &nbsp;Hydro power plants has been filled with stories of dams failing, giving way to flood-inducing volumes of water and in turn causing flooding disasters.<font color="#0d6cb5">&nbsp;</font><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The recent failure of Oroville dam’s main spillway forced led authorities to allow overflow via the auxiliary spillway, putting in danger the ground on which the dam stands. This has caused the evacuation of thousands of people in California, who lived in regions at risk of flooding.<ref name="Brekke, D., 2017. Oroville Update: Dam’s Power Plant Shut Down Again, and Problems Emerge Downriver. [Online] Available at: https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/02/07/engineers-assess-spillway-problem-at-oroville-dam/ [Accessed March 2017].">Brekke, D., 2017. Oroville Update: Dam’s Power Plant Shut Down Again, and Problems Emerge Downriver. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/02/07/engineers-assess-spillway-problem-at-oroville-dam/fckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref></span>
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 <br/>
-= Expiriences =
+= Experiences<br/> =
 <br/>
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 <references /><br/>
 [[Category:Brazil]]

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 However, micro and mini hydro power plant can also be designed so that they contribute to flood prevention, for example by providing additional flood plain storage.<ref name="Abbasi, T. & Abbasi, S., 2011. Small hydro and the environmental implications of its extensive utilization. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 15, pp. 2134-2143.">Abbasi, T. & Abbasi, S., 2011. Small hydro and the environmental implications of its extensive utilization. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 15, pp. 2134-2143.</ref> For more information on the different design features for flood prevention have a look at the article [[Micro-hydro Power (MHP) Projects - Mitigation and Intervention Techniques - Flood Control and Improved Drainage|Micro-hydro Power (MHP) Projects - Mitigation and Intervention Techniques - Flood Control and Improved Drainage]] for example micro hydro sytems which include a penstock can “reduce the risk of erosion and flooding in a stream because they route some of the water through a pipe instead of having it run down the streambed, and because they reduce the speed of the water.”<ref name="Woofenden, I., 2016. Home Power. [Online] Available at: https://www.homepower.com/articles/microhydro-power/design-installation/ask-experts-microhydro-control-flooding-erosion [Accessed 16 March 2017].">Woofenden, I., 2016. Home Power. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: https://www.homepower.com/articles/microhydro-power/design-installation/ask-experts-microhydro-control-flooding-erosionfckLR[Accessed 16 March 2017].</ref>
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 <references /><br/>
 [[Category:Large_Hydro]]

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 <br/>
-= Related Studies =
+= Related Studies and Articles =
-== [http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~pierre/ce_old/Projects/Paperspdf/Jansen Hydropower Reservoir for Flood Control: A Case Study on Ringlet Reservoir, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia] ==
+== [https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Hydropower-Reservoir-for-Flood-Control-a-Case-Luis-Sidek/20bb0dd35fd97e2b47a53b82a645e21246af2d86 Hydropower Reservoir for Flood Control: A Case Study on Ringlet Reservoir, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, 2013] ==
 *The study highlights the effect of sedimentation on hydro power plants reservoirs and their retention capability.
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 <br/>
-== [http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts As Small Hydropower expands, so does caution on its impacts] ==
+== [http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts As Small Hydropower expands, so does caution on its impacts, 2014] ==
 *The article highlights the effects of small hydro on the local ecology
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 <br/>
-== [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wrcr.20243/abstract Cumulative biophysical impact of small and large hydropower development in Nu River, China] ==
+== [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wrcr.20243/abstract Cumulative biophysical impact of small and large hydropower development in Nu River, China, 2013] ==
 *This study investigates the environmental and social impacts of large and small scale hydro power plants, comparing the effects by normalizing them per megawatt of power produced.
@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 <br/>
-== [http://eprint.ncl.ac.uk/file_store/production/210718/12DD3001-E60D-4D6B-965E-FFA69121FABA.pdf A Socio-Cultural Appraisal of Developing Micro-Hydro Power Generation at the Fulling Mill] ==
+== [http://eprint.ncl.ac.uk/file_store/production/210718/12DD3001-E60D-4D6B-965E-FFA69121FABA.pdf A Socio-Cultural Appraisal of Developing Micro-Hydro Power Generation at the Fulling Mill, 2013] ==
 *This study discusses the impacts of micro-hydro on localized flooding and its wider impact on the body of water itself
@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 <br/>
-== [http://www.abrh.org.br/icfm6/proceedings/papers/PAP014381.pdf The Methodologies for the Flood Control Planning using Hydropower Reservoirs in Brazil] ==
+== [http://www.abrh.org.br/icfm6/proceedings/papers/PAP014381.pdf The Methodologies for the Flood Control Planning using Hydropower Reservoirs in Brazil, 2014] ==
 *The study showcases Brazil’s innovative take on hydro power plants control both as an energy producer and a water management asset.
@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 <br/>
-== [http://www.optimisingcascades.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Hyd6-Flood-Control-Challenges.pdf Flood Control Challenges for Large Hydro-Electric Reservoirs Examples from the Nam Theun - Nam Kading Basin, Lao PDR] ==
+== [http://www.optimisingcascades.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Hyd6-Flood-Control-Challenges.pdf Flood Control Challenges for Large Hydro-Electric Reservoirs Examples from the Nam Theun - Nam Kading Basin, Lao PDR, 2013] ==
 *The study presents two cases in which hydro power plants may respond to excessive runoffs that may produce flooding later on, the Nam Theun 2 reservoir is used an example for these two simulations.
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 <br/>
-== [https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://hydrologie.org/redbooks/a194/iahs_194_0003.pdf&h=ATMf1ZWWIA2UgVto4C4OZUAEVENlNwDAr6dIVEeZYr1d8Xq6gcQ_W9qxS2JE47bKG1rXa3Lo7RcYleQMQNM3y6xwLbCDNiLLYqs93Af2CbUTIer1NtGjbiNsnw37gp5qxrbUNu_q The contribution of hydropower reservoirs to flood control in the Austrian Alps] ==
+== [https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://hydrologie.org/redbooks/a194/iahs_194_0003.pdf&h=ATMf1ZWWIA2UgVto4C4OZUAEVENlNwDAr6dIVEeZYr1d8Xq6gcQ_W9qxS2JE47bKG1rXa3Lo7RcYleQMQNM3y6xwLbCDNiLLYqs93Af2CbUTIer1NtGjbiNsnw37gp5qxrbUNu_q The contribution of hydropower reservoirs to flood control in the Austrian Alps, 1990] ==
 *The study indicates the duality of hydropower reservoirs and their role in flood control.
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 <references /><br/>
 [[Category:Brazil]]

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 [[India Energy Situation|India’s]]&nbsp;Environment ministry reports that ill-managed hydro power plants in Northern India had a partial role in the floods the region saw in 2013. Specifically, they highlight the build-up of sediment in rivers due to these badly managed dams, displacing and raising water levels. Effectively, these waterways became more prone to overflow.<ref name="Reuters, 2014. Hydro-power plants blamed for deadly floods in India. [Online] Available at: http://in.reuters.com/article/uk-india-flood-idINKBN0DF10F20140429 [Accessed March 2017].">Reuters, 2014. Hydro-power plants blamed for deadly floods in India. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://in.reuters.com/article/uk-india-flood-idINKBN0DF10F20140429fckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>
-Another incident occurred in 2016 in central [[Vietnam Energy Situation|Vietnam]]&nbsp;Another incident occurred in 2016 in central Vietnam where hydro power plants discharged up to 2,000 cubic meters of water per second after heavy rainfalls. This resulted in floods which killed several people and submerged many houses. It was found that poor operation of the hydro power plants was to blame for this flood and that the hydro power plants operator had failed to issue a warning to the local population about the unexpectedly large discharge.<ref name="VnExpress, 2016. Deadly floods blamed on hydropower power plants in central Vietnam. [Online]  Available at: http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/deadly-floods-blamed-on-hydropower-power-plants-in-central-vietnam-3484281.html [Accessed 4 March 2017].">VnExpress, 2016. Deadly floods blamed on hydropower power plants in central Vietnam. [Online]
+Another incident occurred in 2016 in central [[Vietnam Energy Situation|Vietnam]]&nbsp;Another incident occurred in 2016 in central Vietnam where hydro power plants discharged up to 2,000 cubic meters of water per second after heavy rainfalls. This resulted in floods which killed several people and submerged many houses. It was found that poor operation of the hydro power plants was to blame for this flood and that the hydro power plants operator had failed to issue a warning to the local population about the unexpectedly large discharge.<ref name="VnExpress, 2016. Deadly floods blamed on hydropower power plants in central Vietnam. [Online] Available at: http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/deadly-floods-blamed-on-hydropower-power-plants-in-central-vietnam-3484281.html [Accessed 4 March 2017].">VnExpress, 2016. Deadly floods blamed on hydropower power plants in central Vietnam. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/deadly-floods-blamed-on-hydropower-power-plants-in-central-vietnam-3484281.htmlfckLR[Accessed 4 March 2017].</ref>
 == Hydrop Power Plants Preventing Flooding ==
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 == Micro Hydro Power Plants ==
-Micro hydro power on the other hand have more adverse effects. The placement of weirs for micro hydro power schemes slow down and in most cases, impede the movement of sediment down rivers. This effectively causes a build-up which has a more harmful impact on the local river then it would in a reservoir. The presence of these barriers has been studied over a time of 2 years and it has shown that channels increase in cross-sectional area because of “local aggradation”.<ref name="Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.">Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.</ref> Small hydro has similarly negative effects on flood prevention. A prominent example is Uttarakhand in India where a series of small hydro schemes resulted in “fragmentation of the river habitat”<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref> and changed the sediment flow. The problem with these schemes are that “they don’t have the measurable impacts you have with bigger dams”.<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref> Additionally, weirs often border natural habitats of river species, such as mussels, in the catchment area. This often limits the spread of the species to one side of the wire, thus limiting the overall biodiversity in the water.<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>
+Micro and mini hydro power schemes are often run of-the river, which do not directly interfere with the natural flow of the river, or they have small dams/wires/catchment area to store some water above the turbine. Due to the small scale of the power plants they are general considered less environmentally intrusive than large scale hydro power plants. However, some studies have found that, some studies have found the micro hydro power sites increase the risk of flooding in an area. This is because the power site introduces a barrier into the river system, which can lead to a build-up of sediment which in turn can result in an increased risk of localised flooding<ref name="Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.">Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.</ref>. This is especially the case for micro hydro schemes which include a small catchment area. The 2013 floods in Uttarakhand, India, serve as a prominent example for this. The floods where cause by especially strong monsoon rainfalls, however, a government-commission claimed that the many micro hydro dams in the area contributed to the floods. They caused “fragmentation of the river habitat”<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online]  Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online]
 <br/>
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 = Conclusion =
-The maturity of hydro power plants technology as a way of harnessing cleaner energy means that a lot of experience has been gathered in this area. If designed and operated correctly this allows modern hydro power plants to control and prevent flooding as well as produce energy simultaneously. However, smaller schemes still meet multiple challenges and have been shown to contribute towards flooding. This is possible due to small hydro’s effect on the bodies of water in the catchment area, changing their sedimentary flow and their cross-sectional areas in turn allowing flooding events to occur more easily.
+The maturity of hydro power plants technology as a way of harnessing cleaner energy means that a lot of experience has been gathered in this area. If designed and operated correctly this allows modern hydro power plants to control and prevent flooding as well as produce energy simultaneously. Smaller schemes still meet multiple challenges and have been shown to contribute towards flooding. This is possible due to small hydro’s effect on the bodies of water in the catchment area, changing their sedimentary flow and their cross-sectional areas in turn allowing flooding events to occur more easily. However, when carefully designe small scale hydrop power plants do not necssarily have to increas the risk of flooding and can infact even be used to mitigate the risk.
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 *The article highlights the effects of small hydro on the local ecology
 *This also shows how small hydro has contributed towards the flooding incidents in North India
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 <references /><br/>
 [[Category:Brazil]]

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 = The Impacts of Hydro Power Plants on Flooding =
 The United Nations (UN) estimates that over 60% of the world’s largest river systems have been disturbed by dams and other man-made diversions, signifying a huge impact on local ecology and the water cycle within the area.<ref name="Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2003. Water for People, Water for Life. [Online] Available at: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/publications/WWDR_english_129556e.pdf [Accessed March 2017].">Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2003. Water for People, Water for Life. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/publications/WWDR_english_129556e.pdffckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref> Some of these effects may include loss of habitat in the catchment area (both for communities and animals), plain flooding and subsequent loss of endemic vegetation, and deviation in fish population.<ref name="The Institution of Engineering and Technology, 2014. Energy. [Online] Available at: www.theiet.org/factfiles/energy/hydro-power-page.cfm?type=pdf [Accessed March 2017].">The Institution of Engineering and Technology, 2014. Energy. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: www.theiet.org/factfiles/energy/hydro-power-page.cfm?type=pdffckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>
@@ Line 26: / Line 28: @@
 [[India Energy Situation|India’s]]&nbsp;Environment ministry reports that ill-managed hydro power plants in Northern India had a partial role in the floods the region saw in 2013. Specifically, they highlight the build-up of sediment in rivers due to these badly managed dams, displacing and raising water levels. Effectively, these waterways became more prone to overflow.<ref name="Reuters, 2014. Hydro-power plants blamed for deadly floods in India. [Online] Available at: http://in.reuters.com/article/uk-india-flood-idINKBN0DF10F20140429 [Accessed March 2017].">Reuters, 2014. Hydro-power plants blamed for deadly floods in India. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://in.reuters.com/article/uk-india-flood-idINKBN0DF10F20140429fckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>
-Another incident occurred in 2016 in central [[Vietnam Energy Situation|Vietnam]]&nbsp;Another incident occurred in 2016 in central Vietnam where hydro power plants discharged up to 2,000 cubic meters of water per second after heavy rainfalls. This resulted in floods which killed several people and submerged many houses. It was found that poor operation of the hydro power plants was to blame for this flood and that the hydro power plants operator had failed to issue a warning to the local population about the unexpectedly large discharge. &nbsp;<ref name="VnExpress, 2016. Deadly floods blamed on hydropower power plants in central Vietnam. [Online] Available at: http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/deadly-floods-blamed-on-hydropower-power-plants-in-central-vietnam-3484281.html [Accessed 4 March 2017].">VnExpress, 2016. Deadly floods blamed on hydropower power plants in central Vietnam. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/deadly-floods-blamed-on-hydropower-power-plants-in-central-vietnam-3484281.htmlfckLR[Accessed 4 March 2017].fckLR</ref>
+Another incident occurred in 2016 in central [[Vietnam Energy Situation|Vietnam]]&nbsp;Another incident occurred in 2016 in central Vietnam where hydro power plants discharged up to 2,000 cubic meters of water per second after heavy rainfalls. This resulted in floods which killed several people and submerged many houses. It was found that poor operation of the hydro power plants was to blame for this flood and that the hydro power plants operator had failed to issue a warning to the local population about the unexpectedly large discharge.
 However, often hydro power plants are actually used to control and prevent floods. The accumulation of such large volumes of water in the reservoir make flood management a crucial part of hydro power plants. Whereas undammed water systems would require observation of several waterways, damming allows for the maintenance and monitoring of a single body of water. Even the smallest of retention volumes reduce the likeliness of flooding. For example, the Kaprun Ache, in [[Austria Energy Situation|Austria]], had a natural probity of experiencing a flood every 10 years, however now, after the construction of a hydro power plants with a reservoir, the probability of a major flood occurring has dropped to once every 75 years.<ref name="Pircher, W., 1990. The contribution of hydropower reservoirs to flood control in the Austrian Alpss, Lusanne: Ilydrology in Mountainous Regions.">Pircher, W., 1990. The contribution of hydropower reservoirs to flood control in the Austrian Alpss, Lusanne: Ilydrology in Mountainous Regions.</ref>
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 == Micro Hydro Power Plants ==
-Micro hydro power on the other hand have more adverse effects. The placement of weirs for micro hydro power schemes slow down and in most cases, impede the movement of sediment down rivers. This effectively causes a build-up which has a more harmful impact on the local river that it would in a reservoir. The presence of these barriers has been studied over a time of 2 years and it has shown that channels increase in cross-sectional area because of “local aggradation”.<ref name="Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.">Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.</ref> Small hydro has similarly negative effects on flood prevention. A prominent example is Uttarakhand in India where a series of small hydro schemes resulted in “fragmentation of the river habitat”<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref> and changed the sediment flow. The problem with these schemes are that “they don’t have the measurable impacts you have with bigger dams”.<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref> Additionally, weirs often border natural habitats of river species, such as mussels, in the catchment area. This often limits the spread of the species to one side of the wire, thus limiting the overall biodiversity in the water.<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>
+Micro hydro power on the other hand have more adverse effects. The placement of weirs for micro hydro power schemes slow down and in most cases, impede the movement of sediment down rivers. This effectively causes a build-up which has a more harmful impact on the local river then it would in a reservoir. The presence of these barriers has been studied over a time of 2 years and it has shown that channels increase in cross-sectional area because of “local aggradation”.<ref name="Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.">Bracken, L., Button, C., Bulkeley, H. & Strang, V., 2013. A Socio-cultural appraisal of developing micro-hydro power generation at the Fulling Mill, s.l.: Newcastle University.</ref> Small hydro has similarly negative effects on flood prevention. A prominent example is Uttarakhand in India where a series of small hydro schemes resulted in “fragmentation of the river habitat”<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref> and changed the sediment flow. The problem with these schemes are that “they don’t have the measurable impacts you have with bigger dams”.<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref> Additionally, weirs often border natural habitats of river species, such as mussels, in the catchment area. This often limits the spread of the species to one side of the wire, thus limiting the overall biodiversity in the water.<ref name="Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impacts [Accessed March 2017].">Levitan, D., 2014. As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts. [Online] fckLRAvailable at: http://e360.yale.edu/features/as_small_hydropower_expands_so_does_caution_on_its_impactsfckLR[Accessed March 2017].</ref>
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 [[Category:Brazil]]