Hydropower Planning Around
Ecologically Sensitive Areas ISH01 STUDY: IDENTIFICATION OF ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE SUB-BASINS FOR
SUSTAINABLE HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT ON TRIBUTARIES
Birgit Vogel
RBMsolutions -
River Basin Management
Vienna, Austria
1
Sustainable Hydropower Practice Forum:
MRC Studies, Guidelines and Tools
25 - 26 October 2015
Bangkok, Thailand
ISH01
Background
2 ISH01
The ISH01 study was undertaken between June 2013 – November 2015
Scale and focus of the study:
Sub-Basin Level
Pilot basin testing
Sre Pok river basin
Local/national scale in the regional context
104 LMB sub-basins
Proposal for up-scaling
Basin-wide/regional scale
What is an ESA in the LMB Context ?
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A functioning ‘Ecologically Sensitive Area’ in the LMB context
is defined as an area that
•contains high ecological value/importance,
•supports sustainable ecological processes in support of socio-economic and
ecological value,
•supports the sustainability of ecosystem services and, hence, livelihoods
(ecosystem services),
•is fragile to impacts no matter if human and/or natural, and, hence
•is at possible risk to lose its support of ecological value and processes by these
impacts.
Pressures from hydropower may negatively impact on
ESAs and related river reaches
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The ISH01 TOOL AND ITS ASSESSMENT POTENTIAL
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE HYDROPOWER PLANNING
ISH01 Framework and Tools
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ISH01 and its
activities/outcomes
Planning and management framework for
sustainable hydropower in LMB tributaries
Tool for integrated
decision making
ISH01 provides an Integrated Decision Making Tool
Combination into a Holistic Approach
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The approach and tools of ISH01 have potential to support
Operation and development
of sustainable LMB hydropower
Protection and conservation
of Ecologically Sensitive Areas
Socio-economic benefit from (i) energy generation
and (ii) functioning ecosystem services
ISH01 Products and Outcomes 7 ISH01
AN APPROACH to identify Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in sub-basins
EASY-TO-APPLY
FRAMEWORK
for planning and management in LMB tributaries combining
the identified ESAs with hydropower to support sustainable
decision making
FINDINGS are available from assessments in selected LMB pilot basins
A PROPOSAL for up-scaling the identification of ESAs as well as the
hydropower planning and management framework to the
LMB basin-wide scale
Assessment results enable a (sub)basin-wide overview on
possible impacts from hydropower on ESA related river reaches
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Approach of the ISH01 Tool at One Glance
PerformRiskEs ma onbasedonthekeyques on:Dotheiden fiedpressuretypesimpact
ontheESArelatedriverreaches?Implementa onofriskcriteria
NotatRisk
AtRisk
PossiblyatRisk
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WHAT DOES THE ISH01 TOOL DELIVER ?
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Combination of spatial importance and sensitivity to human pressures of Candidate Ecological Areas are identified as ESAs according to a coherent scheme:
Low Medium High Too
impacted
Local
National
Regional
Global
Unidentified
Human Pressure
Spatial Im
port
ance
High ESA
High ESA
High ESA High ESA
High ESA High ESA High ESA
Medium
ESA
Medium
ESA
Medium
ESA
Medium
ESA
Medium
ESA
Low ESA Low ESA
Low ESA
Low ESA
Identified Ecologically Sensitive Areas
The importance of fish migration in sub-basins and link to the Mekong mainstream is taken into account
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Step 4: Identification of ESAs Sre Pok Sub-Basin
ESAs are also related to river reaches
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Merged ESAs with existing/planned HPPs
Identified Key Pressure Types from HPPs 13 ISH01
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….on ESA related river reaches
Stepwise risk assessment approach applying risk criteria aligned to
best practices
Risk criteria in place for EACH hydropower pressure type
Full Risk Assessment of Hydropower Impacts from Pressures
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….on ESA related river reaches
Allocation to 3 risk categories: at risk; possibly at risk; not at risk
Full Risk Assessment of Hydropower Impacts from Pressures
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Combination & Interpretation of Risk Assessment Results
Overall Risk
Fish migration barrier
Sediment interruption
Sediment flushing effect
Hydropeaking impacts
Reduced inundation
Insufficient env. flow
Reservoir effect
Impacted water quality
Altered habitats
Indiv
idual R
isk A
ssessm
ent R
esults
at risk possibly at risk not at risk
Sre Pok River (confluence to source) & hydropower dams Initial Basis for strategic decision making regarding hydropower
Key Benefits of the ISH01 Approach
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ISH01 approach has strong potential to support sustainable hydropower
planning and management - Effective and simple tool
Basin-wide overview at one glance on ESAs and possible HPP impact on these
Indication on potential areas of conflict
Basis for first stage decision making
Transparent risk assessment based on expert judgement applying criteria
Concrete conclusions on hydropower impacts on river reaches
Good overview on existing AND future situation in a river basin
Decision making possible before investing in EIAs
(ISH01 approach does not replace an EIA)
Key Benefits of the ISH01 Approach
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Integrative Planning and Management Tool
Integration of all dams (existing/planned) into one assessment
Not only case-by-case consideration
Considerations on transboundary and cumulative impacts possible
Approach and results transparent to all involved
Decision makers, water managers, hydropower operators/developers
Establishment of common understanding to meet the right decisions
Decision Making, Planning and Management
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…..towards sustainability. Adding up to the presented benefits.
Planned hydropower projects
Planning basis to address mitigation measures & compensate impacts
Basis to decide if alternative sources and sites should be identified
Existing hydropower projects
Understand their contribution to impacts in a basin
Enables considerations to set ‘retrofitting measures’ to reduce impacts
ISH01 overview is possible for the entire LMB:
Proposal for up-scaling to all sub-basins
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THANK YOU.
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In case of questions please contact: Birgit Vogel RBMsolutions – River Basin Management [email protected]
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