The many faces of hydropower 

More than 2,000 years ago, water was harnessed to power water wheels to grind wheat. Dams and reservoirs were built to supply water to agriculture, with hydropower being an added benefit. With population growth along rivers, dams and reservoirs became the first line of defense against floods.

Across the country, there are now nearly 2,200 power plants in hydropower fleet. Hydropower’s flexibility, reliability, and resilience in an ever-changing grid makes it a valued resource that needs to be further understood. Research and development efforts have led to new tools that help us better understand and mitigate the impacts of hydropower on aquatic ecosystems.

“The development of advanced sensors and modeling has dramatically increased our understanding of how fish move around and through hydropower dams,” said Alison Colotelo, a project manager in PNNL’s Ecology Group and a research area lead for HydroWIRES. “Getting more precise and accurate information about how fish are responding to these environments allows us to find opportunities to improve the design and operation of our facilities”.

Aided by today’s digital revolution, hydropower’s future must also consider changes in the environment. Climate change not only puts additional stress on our natural systems, it adds complexity to evolving demands from the electric grid.

The tension between electricity and environment, combined with the evolving nature of the power grid itself, are at the heart of hydropower’s changing identity.

The stakes are high all around. Hydropower can do so many things. But what takes priority, especially in an increasingly water-challenged world? Planning is key.