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Reducing adverse impacts of Amazon hydropower expansion
Alexander S Flecker1, Qinru Shi2, Rafael M Almeida1,3
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|February 17, 2022
Summary
Strategic planning for Amazon hydropower dams is crucial. Optimizing dam placement minimizes ecosystem impacts and maximizes energy benefits, avoiding forgone ecosystem services from uncoordinated development.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Hydropower Engineering
Background:
- The Amazon basin, Earth's largest and most biodiverse river system, faces proposed hydropower development at over 350 sites.
- Hydropower expansion necessitates evaluating trade-offs between energy production and numerous, spatially variable ecosystem services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify optimal portfolios of hydropower dam sites in the Amazon.
- To simultaneously minimize impacts on river flow, connectivity, sediment transport, fish diversity, and greenhouse gas emissions while meeting energy goals.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multiobjective optimization techniques.
- Evaluated configurations of dam placements across the Amazon basin.
Main Results:
- Uncoordinated, site-by-site hydropower expansion has led to significant forgone ecosystem service benefits.
- Optimal dam configurations can substantially reduce negative environmental impacts.
Conclusions:
- Minimizing future damage from hydropower requires a basin-wide perspective on environmental impacts.
- Cooperation among Amazonian nations is essential for sustainable hydropower development.
- The developed model is transferable for evaluating hydropower expansion in other transboundary basins.
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