Hydropower Flushing Events Cause Severe Loss of Macrozoobenthos in Alpine Streams
Alpine hydroelectric power exploitation often aims to increase the volume of water stored behind impoundments, which may be achieved through flow ion and lateral transfer to storage. Intakes are designed to separate water from sediment which accumulates in settling basins and may be flushed sometime...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Water resources research 2019-12, Vol.55 (12), p.10056-10081 |
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description | Alpine hydroelectric power exploitation often aims to increase the volume of water stored behind impoundments, which may be achieved through flow ion and lateral transfer to storage. Intakes are designed to separate water from sediment which accumulates in settling basins and may be flushed sometimes at subdaily frequencies in glaciated basins. In some countries (e.g., Switzerland) intakes drain a greater basin area than impoundments yet legislation designed to improve instream ecosystems impacted by hydropower has almost entirely ignored them. Some research suggests that such streams have exceptionally low abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates for some kilometers downstream of the intake flushing at high frequency in summer, but that populations can recover rapidly as soon as flushing frequency decreases in early autumn. However, such patterns could also result from natural flow variability, sediment transport, and morphological change in glacier‐fed streams. We combine field measurements with habitat modeling to assess the impacts of sediment flushing on macrozoobenthos as compared to what might be expected in a natural, hydromorphologically dynamic Alpine stream. We show that water ion in itself could improve habitat conditions because it increases the relative contribution of less turbid and groundwater/unregulated sources. However, intake flushing leads to short duration, sediment‐laden flows that can destabilize substantial areas of the stream bed and cause rates of lateral displacement of habitat much greater than the possible response by macroinvertebrates. Our results challenge current emphasis on minimum flows in such streams and argue that much more emphasis needs to be placed on sediment management.
Key Points
Flow ion at hydropower intakes in glaciated streams improves downstream low flow habitat conditions compared to natural conditions
Intake sediment flushing degrades habitat due to rapid discharge rise, turbidity increase, euphotic depth reduction, and bed instability
Sensitivity to flushing relates to the rate of discharge increase as zones of suitable habitat move faster than possible benthos migration |
doi_str_mv | 10.1029/2019WR024758 |
format | Article |
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Key Points
Flow ion at hydropower intakes in glaciated streams improves downstream low flow habitat conditions compared to natural conditions
Intake sediment flushing degrades habitat due to rapid discharge rise, turbidity increase, euphotic depth reduction, and bed instability
Sensitivity to flushing relates to the rate of discharge increase as zones of suitable habitat move faster than possible benthos migration</description><identifier>ISSN: 0043-1397</identifier><identifier>EISSN: 1944-7973</identifier><identifier>DOI: 10.1029/2019WR024758</identifier><language>eng</language><publisher>Washington: John Wiley & Sons, Inc</publisher><subject>Basins ; Environmental impact ; Exploitation ; Flushing ; Flushing (water) ; Glacial streams ; Glaciers ; Glaciohydrology ; Groundwater ; Habitat improvement ; Habitats ; High frequency ; Hydroelectric power ; Impoundments ; Intakes ; Lateral displacement ; Legislation ; Macroinvertebrates ; Minimum flow ; Natural flow ; Rivers ; Sediment ; Sediment transport ; Sediments ; Settling basins ; Storage ; Streambeds ; Streams ; Zoobenthos</subject><ispartof>Water resources research, 2019-12, Vol.55 (12), p.10056-10081</ispartof><rights>2019. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.</rights><lds50>peer_reviewed</lds50><oa>free_for_read</oa><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><citedby>FETCH-LOGICAL-a3687-6b9008658a9e7f9727808158bd2003d072d62f9757b977bfde83c3a790989193</citedby><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-a3687-6b9008658a9e7f9727808158bd2003d072d62f9757b977bfde83c3a790989193</cites><orcidid>0000-0002-6077-6076 ; 0000-0001-5658-1690 ; 0000-0002-7934-0926</orcidid></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><linktopdf>$$Uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029%2F2019WR024758$$EPDF$$P50$$Gwiley$$H</linktopdf><linktohtml>$$Uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029%2F2019WR024758$$EHTML$$P50$$Gwiley$$H</linktohtml><link.rule.ids>314,780,784,1416,11512,27922,27923,45572,45573,46466,46890</link.rule.ids></links><search><creatorcontrib>Gabbud, C.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Bakker, M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Clémençon, M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Lane, S. N.</creatorcontrib><title>Hydropower Flushing Events Cause Severe Loss of Macrozoobenthos in Alpine Streams</title><title>Water resources research</title><description>Alpine hydroelectric power exploitation often aims to increase the volume of water stored behind impoundments, which may be achieved through flow ion and lateral transfer to storage. Intakes are designed to separate water from sediment which accumulates in settling basins and may be flushed sometimes at subdaily frequencies in glaciated basins. In some countries (e.g., Switzerland) intakes drain a greater basin area than impoundments yet legislation designed to improve instream ecosystems impacted by hydropower has almost entirely ignored them. Some research suggests that such streams have exceptionally low abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates for some kilometers downstream of the intake flushing at high frequency in summer, but that populations can recover rapidly as soon as flushing frequency decreases in early autumn. However, such patterns could also result from natural flow variability, sediment transport, and morphological change in glacier‐fed streams. We combine field measurements with habitat modeling to assess the impacts of sediment flushing on macrozoobenthos as compared to what might be expected in a natural, hydromorphologically dynamic Alpine stream. We show that water ion in itself could improve habitat conditions because it increases the relative contribution of less turbid and groundwater/unregulated sources. However, intake flushing leads to short duration, sediment‐laden flows that can destabilize substantial areas of the stream bed and cause rates of lateral displacement of habitat much greater than the possible response by macroinvertebrates. Our results challenge current emphasis on minimum flows in such streams and argue that much more emphasis needs to be placed on sediment management.
Key Points
Flow ion at hydropower intakes in glaciated streams improves downstream low flow habitat conditions compared to natural conditions
Intake sediment flushing degrades habitat due to rapid discharge rise, turbidity increase, euphotic depth reduction, and bed instability
Sensitivity to flushing relates to the rate of discharge increase as zones of suitable habitat move faster than possible benthos migration</description><subject>Basins</subject><subject>Environmental impact</subject><subject>Exploitation</subject><subject>Flushing</subject><subject>Flushing (water)</subject><subject>Glacial streams</subject><subject>Glaciers</subject><subject>Glaciohydrology</subject><subject>Groundwater</subject><subject>Habitat improvement</subject><subject>Habitats</subject><subject>High frequency</subject><subject>Hydroelectric power</subject><subject>Impoundments</subject><subject>Intakes</subject><subject>Lateral displacement</subject><subject>Legislation</subject><subject>Macroinvertebrates</subject><subject>Minimum flow</subject><subject>Natural flow</subject><subject>Rivers</subject><subject>Sediment</subject><subject>Sediment transport</subject><subject>Sediments</subject><subject>Settling basins</subject><subject>Storage</subject><subject>Streambeds</subject><subject>Streams</subject><subject>Zoobenthos</subject><issn>0043-1397</issn><issn>1944-7973</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2019</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><recordid>eNp90EFLwzAUB_AgCs7pzQ8Q8Gr1JWn7kuMomxMm4hzsWNI1dR1dU5N1Y356I_PgydODx4__e_wJuWXwwICrRw5MLefAY0zkGRkwFccRKhTnZAAQi4gJhZfkyvsNAIuTFAfkbXosne3swTg6aXq_rtsPOt6bdudppntv6LvZG2fozHpPbUVf9MrZL2uLQNbW07qlo6ar2wB3zuitvyYXlW68ufmdQ7KYjBfZNJq9Pj1no1mkRSoxSgsFINNEamWwUshRgmSJLEoOIEpAXqY87BMsFGJRlUaKldCoQEnFlBiSu1Ns5-xnb_wu39jeteFizkWcpsAQWFD3JxWe9t6ZKu9cvdXumDPIfzrL_3YWuDjxQ92Y4782X86zOY85ovgGsjdr_g</recordid><startdate>201912</startdate><enddate>201912</enddate><creator>Gabbud, C.</creator><creator>Bakker, M.</creator><creator>Clémençon, M.</creator><creator>Lane, S. N.</creator><general>John Wiley & Sons, Inc</general><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>7QH</scope><scope>7QL</scope><scope>7T7</scope><scope>7TG</scope><scope>7U9</scope><scope>7UA</scope><scope>8FD</scope><scope>C1K</scope><scope>F1W</scope><scope>FR3</scope><scope>H94</scope><scope>H96</scope><scope>KL.</scope><scope>KR7</scope><scope>L.G</scope><scope>M7N</scope><scope>P64</scope><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6077-6076</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5658-1690</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7934-0926</orcidid></search><sort><creationdate>201912</creationdate><title>Hydropower Flushing Events Cause Severe Loss of Macrozoobenthos in Alpine Streams</title><author>Gabbud, C. ; Bakker, M. ; Clémençon, M. ; Lane, S. N.</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-a3687-6b9008658a9e7f9727808158bd2003d072d62f9757b977bfde83c3a790989193</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2019</creationdate><topic>Basins</topic><topic>Environmental impact</topic><topic>Exploitation</topic><topic>Flushing</topic><topic>Flushing (water)</topic><topic>Glacial streams</topic><topic>Glaciers</topic><topic>Glaciohydrology</topic><topic>Groundwater</topic><topic>Habitat improvement</topic><topic>Habitats</topic><topic>High frequency</topic><topic>Hydroelectric power</topic><topic>Impoundments</topic><topic>Intakes</topic><topic>Lateral displacement</topic><topic>Legislation</topic><topic>Macroinvertebrates</topic><topic>Minimum flow</topic><topic>Natural flow</topic><topic>Rivers</topic><topic>Sediment</topic><topic>Sediment transport</topic><topic>Sediments</topic><topic>Settling basins</topic><topic>Storage</topic><topic>Streambeds</topic><topic>Streams</topic><topic>Zoobenthos</topic><toplevel>peer_reviewed</toplevel><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Gabbud, C.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Bakker, M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Clémençon, M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Lane, S. 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N.</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><atitle>Hydropower Flushing Events Cause Severe Loss of Macrozoobenthos in Alpine Streams</atitle><jtitle>Water resources research</jtitle><date>2019-12</date><risdate>2019</risdate><volume>55</volume><issue>12</issue><spage>10056</spage><epage>10081</epage><pages>10056-10081</pages><issn>0043-1397</issn><eissn>1944-7973</eissn><abstract>Alpine hydroelectric power exploitation often aims to increase the volume of water stored behind impoundments, which may be achieved through flow ion and lateral transfer to storage. Intakes are designed to separate water from sediment which accumulates in settling basins and may be flushed sometimes at subdaily frequencies in glaciated basins. In some countries (e.g., Switzerland) intakes drain a greater basin area than impoundments yet legislation designed to improve instream ecosystems impacted by hydropower has almost entirely ignored them. Some research suggests that such streams have exceptionally low abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates for some kilometers downstream of the intake flushing at high frequency in summer, but that populations can recover rapidly as soon as flushing frequency decreases in early autumn. However, such patterns could also result from natural flow variability, sediment transport, and morphological change in glacier‐fed streams. We combine field measurements with habitat modeling to assess the impacts of sediment flushing on macrozoobenthos as compared to what might be expected in a natural, hydromorphologically dynamic Alpine stream. We show that water ion in itself could improve habitat conditions because it increases the relative contribution of less turbid and groundwater/unregulated sources. However, intake flushing leads to short duration, sediment‐laden flows that can destabilize substantial areas of the stream bed and cause rates of lateral displacement of habitat much greater than the possible response by macroinvertebrates. Our results challenge current emphasis on minimum flows in such streams and argue that much more emphasis needs to be placed on sediment management.
Key Points
Flow ion at hydropower intakes in glaciated streams improves downstream low flow habitat conditions compared to natural conditions
Intake sediment flushing degrades habitat due to rapid discharge rise, turbidity increase, euphotic depth reduction, and bed instability
Sensitivity to flushing relates to the rate of discharge increase as zones of suitable habitat move faster than possible benthos migration</abstract><cop>Washington</cop><pub>John Wiley & Sons, Inc</pub><doi>10.1029/2019WR024758</doi><tpages>26</tpages><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6077-6076</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5658-1690</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7934-0926</orcidid><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record> |
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source | Wiley-Blackwell AGU Digital Library; EZB-FREE-00999 freely available EZB journals; Wiley Online Library All Journals |
subjects | Basins Environmental impact Exploitation Flushing Flushing (water) Glacial streams Glaciers Glaciohydrology Groundwater Habitat improvement Habitats High frequency Hydroelectric power Impoundments Intakes Lateral displacement Legislation Macroinvertebrates Minimum flow Natural flow Rivers Sediment Sediment transport Sediments Settling basins Storage Streambeds Streams Zoobenthos |
title | Hydropower Flushing Events Cause Severe Loss of Macrozoobenthos in Alpine Streams |
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