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.

1
 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

2
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

3
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

4
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

5
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

6
 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

Bermann, C 2007, ‘Impasses and controversies of hydroelectricity’, Estudos Avancados, vol.

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.