Downstream effects of intermittent power generation

Intermittent power generation creates frequent and dramatic discharge peaks combined with intervening extremely low water conditions. Whereas no alterations were found in the qualitative composition of zoobenthos, the decrease in abundance and biomass may amount up to 95%. The mismatch between the hydrography of surface water and groundwater might well be a cause of the detrimental effects of frequent and artificially created spates. The drastic reduction of zoobenthic biomass affects not only fish production but minimizes self-purification processes as well. Until tributaries diminish the effects of intermittent power generation, the river is reduced to a mere transport vehicle.