Hydroelectric Plant Research Articles

Hydroelectric Plant Safety: Real-Time Monitoring Utilizing Fiber-Optic Sensors.

In the context of hydroelectric plants, this article emphasizes the imperative of robust monitoring strategies. The utilization of fiber-optic sensors (FOSs) emerges as a promising approach due to their efficient optical transmission, minimal signal attenuation, and resistance to electromagnetic interference. These optical sensors have demonstrated success in diverse structures, including bridges and nuclear plants, especially in challenging environments. This article culminates with the depiction of the development of an array of sensors featuring Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs). This array is designed to measure deformation and temperature in protective grids surrounding the turbines at the Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Plant. Implemented in a real-world scenario, the device identifies deformation peaks, indicative of water flow obstructions, thereby contributing significantly to the safety and operational efficiency of the plant.

Temporal change in the parasite community of an invasive fish Trachelyopterus galeatus (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) in a neotropical floodplain.

The construction of dams and hydroelectric plants affects biodiversity in aquatic environments and can facilitate the invasion of species. Few studies assess the long-term response of parasite fauna under these events. The aim of this study was to investigate possible changes in the endoparasite composition of the invasive catfish Trachelyopterus galeatus (Linnaeus, 1766) in the floodplain of the upper Paraná River over a 27-year study period. A total of 79 fish were collected in period 1 (1993) and 31 in period 2 (2019/2020) at the same sampling points, and the endoparasites were located in the gastrointestinal system using a stereomicroscope. It was found that the development of the fish and the composition of their endoparasitic fauna changed over time. In the second period, the fish presented smaller values for mass (g) and standard length (cm) when compared to period 1. It was found that three species of endoparasites were found per period, but although the richness was the same, the composition differed, and only one digenean (Microrchis oligovitellum Lunaschi, 1987 (Trematoda: Paramphistomidae)) was shared. The Porto Primavera Dam was built upstream of the site between the sampling periods (1999) and caused a number of environmental changes, possibly being the main factor responsible for changes in components of the parasite community. Anthropic modification to an environment can cause loss of diversity and loss of ecological interactions. Through our results, we emphasize the importance of including parasite fauna in studies that assess environmental impacts.

Resolution of the bi-objective optimization problem for the dispatch of hydroelectric plants under conditions of low inflow using the NSGA II algorithm

Among the consequences of climate change are increased temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns that bring longer periods of drought. This creates limitations in the administration of hydroelectric plant reservoirs, restricting, in some cases, the amount of electrical energy generated. The objective of this research is to solve the multi-objective optimization problem that seeks to minimize the production of electrical energy from hydroelectric plants with low inflow and, at the same time, minimize electrical rationing due to this low production. As these objectives conflict with each other, it is necessary to apply multi-objective optimization problem-solving methodologies, among which are genetic algorithms. The mathematical model is built considering the operating conditions of the reservoirs of the hydroelectric plants under study, including their minimum operating levels, which are included in the model restrictions. The non-dominated genetic classification algorithm II is used to obtain the Pareto front, which is composed of a total of 78 non-dominated solutions that are useful to manage the considered reservoirs at the time of maximum demand. It is recommended to use other multi-objective optimization algorithms for comparison purposes, selecting the ideal indicators to evaluate the performance of each algorithm used, in addition to incorporating monetary and environmental cost restrictions into the model

Quantification and spatial distribution of the bioenergetic potential from slaughterhouses effluents biogas generation across Brazil

This study describes the estimation of biogas energy use from the anaerobic treatment system of cattle, swine, and poultry slaughter units in Brazil. The simulation includes spatial distribution of the results and geographical comparison with other energy matrices and clean sources of electricity generation. The paper is divided into four sections: 1) the database formation, which included a survey and geocoding of cattle, swine and poultry slaughter units across the country; 2) a literature review covering the period from 2000 to 2020 to obtain the average Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) for each of the effluents; 3) a simulation of electricity generation in the slaughter units, according to their classes and origins; and, 4) the preparation of national distribution maps of slaughter units, national bioenergy potential, by state and by animal origin, comparison maps of Electric Slaughter Units (ESU) using hydroelectric, photovoltaic and wind power plants, as well as the comparison map between the biomass energy use (biogas, sugarcane bagasse and black liquor). The slaughter units bioenergetic potential presented on the maps that the density in the distribution of these units adopts the effluent treatment proposal. Moreover, biogas is considered a decentralized energy matrix, but the density of slaughter units within the work proposal opposes this concept. The results indicated the formation of a corridor with a high potential for electricity generation, coinciding with regions that experience electrical stress in Brazil. In numbers, the potential would be enough to supply a population of up to 900,000 inhabitants, emphasizing ESU as a potential alternative for electricity using biogas. This is because the Brazilian meat market is somewhat consolidated, important worldwide and continuously generates effluents, which can add up to 28% to electricity from biomass. The greatest bioenergy potential was obtained in the Midwest region (1792 MW), followed by the South (1486 MW), Southeast (1278 MW), North (923 MW) and Northeast (236 MW) regions of the country. In terms of clean energy, when comparing the distribution of slaughter units with photovoltaic, wind and hydroelectric plants, a large territorial gain is observed (more uniform distribution in the country) and in relation to the electrical use of biomass, biogas use from ESU would promote it as the second largest matrix representing about 31% of national energy.

Cumulative Effects of Watershed Disturbances and Run-of-river Dams on Mercury Cycling: Case Study and Recommendations for Environmental Managers.

Run-of-river power plants (ROR) represent the majority of hydroelectric plants worldwide. Their environmental impacts are not well documented and are believed to be limited, particularly regarding the contamination of food webs by methylmercury (MeHg), a neurotoxin. RORs are typically installed in small rivers where combined effects of watershed disturbances with dam construction can complicate environmental management. We report a multi-year case study on the Saint-Maurice River (Canada) where an unpredicted temporary increase in MeHg accumulation in predator fish was observed after the construction of two ROR plants. The associated pondages acted as sedimentation basins for mercury (Hg) and organic matter from a watershed disturbed by a forest fire and by logging. This fresh organic carbon likely fueled microbial MeHg production. Hg methylation was more associated with environmental conditions than to the presence of Hg, and main methylating microbial groups were identified. A constructed wetland was a site of significant Hg methylation but was not the main source of the fish Hg increase. Organic carbon degradation was the main driver of MeHg accumulation at the base of the food chain whereas trophic levels explained the variations at the top of the food chain. Overall, carbon cycling was a key driver of Hg dynamics in this system, and ROR plants can cause temporary (ca. 12 years) Hg increase in food webs when developed in disturbed watersheds, although this increase is smaller than for large reservoirs. Recommendations for future ROR construction are to establish a good environmental monitoring plan with initial high temporal resolution and to consider recent and potential watershed disturbances in the plan.

Estimating rainfall-runoff parameters for ungauged catchments: a case study in Turkiye

ABSTRACT Determining water yield and flood discharges in catchments is a vital aspect of hydrology. This entails considering precipitation and runoff as key hydrological parameters. Constructing infrastructure like hydroelectric plants and regulators over streams necessitates continuous, accurate flow, and meteorological observations spanning at least 25 years. However, in developing nations, economic factors often impede such observations. This study proposes a method to estimate peak rainfall and flow values for ungauged basins with varying return periods by utilizing from gauged basins and spatial variables. Flood calculations were carried out for the ungauged Rabat River basin. In this study, regional flood frequency analysis was carried out using the flow values of the flow gauging stations neighboring the basin. In addition, maximum flow values were calculated using Moscus and the DSI synthetic method. Two- and three-parameter distributions were used to estimate 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-year flood return values at stations with observation periods ranging from 15 to 64 years. Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Probability Line Correlation coefficient (Chi-square) tests were applied to check the suitability of these distributions and the most appropriate distributions were found. This yielded an estimation for the flow values of the Rabat River, indicating the method's reliability for forecasting runoff-rainfall in the ungauged basin.

Increasing flood awareness through dam-break serious games

Dams are one of the most important human-made structures ever conceptualized and allow the development of society by providing multiple uses, such as the development of hydroelectric plants and as a source of water supply. A dam break problem is a catastrophic event that evolves rapidly, causing uncontrollable large floods downstream. In this paper, we develop a simplified modeling approach to assess flood characteristics associated with dam-break problems. The method offers a useful tool to improve the perception of dam safety in terms of the hydrodynamic impacts associated with a dam break. We apply our framework to 20 dams in Brazil, in addition to the Brumadinho dam failure at Córrego do Feijão. This event occurred in Brazil in 2019 leading to almost 300 fatalities. The second case study demonstrates the use of the modeling framework developed in this paper through the simulation of 20 dams in Brazil. The modeling approach uses GIS databases, Google Earth, and National Water Agency (ANA) databases and can be replicated whenever GIS information on dam characteristics, downstream channel, and downstream community is available. The results of this modeling approach indicate that several dams in the northeast of Brazil have relatively large flood hazards. A simplified dam-break hazard index was developed to establish a relative hazard impact that considers only deterministic factors such as the hydrodynamic force, velocity, and depth, as well as the arrival time of the maximum values of these states. These values are determined by a 1-D full momentum solver model (HydroHP-1D).

Pistia Stratiotes based heavy metals phytoremediation of a Himalayan river impacted by hydroelectric plant in an Indo Burma hotspot region

ABSTRACT Present study attempts to study the impact of Serlui-B hydroelectric dam on water quality (‘water-energy nexus’) of a Himalayan river and to devise possible phytotechnology for heavy metals remediation. Physico-chemical characteristics of water were analyzed using ‘American Public Health Association (APHA)’ methods while Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used for estimation of heavy metals. To this end, concentrations of Fe and Ni were recorded above permissible limit which can impose public health risks. Therefore, phytoremediation experiments were performed by using Pistia stratiotes L. (water lettuce) and effects of Fe and Ni concentrations (1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 mg/L) on photosynthetic pigments were observed. Phytoremediation investigations using 24 aquaria (of 40.5 L) revealed that P. stratiotes was an effective hyperaccumulator of Fe and Ni with maximum removal efficiency of 96.2% and 92%, respectively. In relation to bioaccumulation indices, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) values decreased with increase in Fe and Ni concentrations, whereas the translocation factor (TF) was noted higher at low concentrations and vice versa. Furthermore, the total chlorophyll content and carotenoid levels in P. stratiotes demonstrated negative significant correlation with the rise in Fe/Ni concentrations that may be considered as an adaptive biochemical strategy to mitigate metals induced oxidative stress. The present study can further be extrapolated to field phytoremediation for ameliorating both physico-chemical and metallic contaminants. Last, the role of microbial biodiversity associated with P. stratiotes should be elucidated in future to help achieve SDG 6 and environmental sustainability.

Monitoring through AI Based Remote Access Vehicle in Hydro Power Plant

The development of hydroelectric power is essential to the production of sustainable energy. Continuous monitoring and maintenance are necessary to guarantee the safe and effective functioning of hydroelectric plants. A revolutionary method for improving the security, effectiveness, and monitoring capacities of hydroelectric power plants is presented in the project "Monitoring through AI-Based Remote Access Vehicle in Hydro Power Plant."This creative project uses cutting-edge technologies, such as Bluetooth connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI), Raspberry Pi, and sensor systems, to develop a remotely controlled car that is specifically designed to meet the demands of hydroelectric power plant conditions. Real-time object detection and obstacle avoidance are made possible by this configuration, guaranteeing safe passage across the complex industrial infrastructure.Incorporating a temperature sensor also makes it easier to identify fire situations early on, while a water-detecting sensor protects against water leaks. By utilizing AI algorithms for object recognition, vehicles can detect and react to impediments in a proactive manner, hence decreasing the likelihood of accidents. As sentinels, the temperature and water leakage sensors keep an eye on things constantly and send out alarms right once if anything seems out of the ordinary. Reduced reliance on in-person inspections due to remote monitoring capabilities results in lower costs and more dependability. To sum up, this initiative tackles important issues pertaining to hydro power plant maintenance, efficiency, and safety

Editorial

In terms of energy production and consumption, the modern world's needs have become more and more challenging. Electrical energy is required to power most of all current “gadgets”, as well as, large industrial equipment, and more recently, our cars, which are expected to become all-electric in the not so far future. Once electrical energy (actually any kind of energy) can not be created or destroyed, it must be converted from other forms of energy.Our economy is still dependent on fossil energy sources like coal, petroleum and gas, which may be directly used to heat our homes and keep our cars running, but also to be converted into electrical energy. The drop-back of these resources is that they are highly pollutant and a worldwide movement is trying to reduce its use. Many bio alternatives have been proposed to replace these energy sources with a certain level of success. They are renewable and may help to reduce the greenhouse gas emission problem, however, alone, they will not solve the problem. In Brazil, most of the electrical energy comes from hydroelectric plants which are clean, renewable and reliable sources, however produces some undesired environmental impacts, most of them during the power plant construction. There is also a limited amount of this kind of energy that can be exploited. In parallel, we have the clean and renewable wind and solar sources. Both extraction technologies have already reached a higher maturity level and their use has been increasing in recent years. There is a great potential for large generation plants and also for small units to be installed in domestic homes or small consumption centers. For sure, there are other energy sources that could be included in the discussion.Any emerging country, like Brazil, needs to increase its infrastructure and reach a higher level of technological development. Among many factors, energy is one of the most important ones. A key issue with the energy production is its cost, and to reduce production costs, technological advances are needed. A promising emerging country can not rely only on foreign knowledge (technology) to build its infrastructure. Moreover, sustainable development can only be achieved when technological advances are promoted by its universities and research groups in a close collaboration with the industrial sector. For every energy type above discussed, even those with a higher level of development, there is still room for new discoveries, new applications and improvements, which must be relentlessly pursued by the Brazilian scientific community. We must have a commitment to the country's future.

Loss of sense of belonging in school communities relocated from riverside areas in the Amazon

The feeling of belonging is related to the perception and sensation of being part of something greater, such as a community, a family, a group, or a nation. The present research aimed to analyze whether research participants provide information that could lead to an understanding of the loss of a sense of belonging due to community relocation. The research was methodologically structured as qualitative and descriptive research, as it sought to understand the community's loss of a sense of belonging. The results were obtained through the application of semi-structured interviews in a formative study, revealing that the relocation of the school within the community generated a sense of emotional disconnection and identification with the environment among the people. It is indeed a fact that when someone experiences a sense of belonging, they typically feel integrated, accepted, and valued. Content analysis was conducted based on the results, and the conclusions indicated the loss of a sense of belonging among the interviewees regarding the relocation of the community from the banks of the Madeira River, due to the construction of a hydroelectric plant.

Synergistic process interactions and morphological change in a river reach subject to multiple disturbances, the Laja River, Chile

AbstractThis work studies the multiple sources of impacts and disturbances in the Laja River (Central Chile) and evaluates the changes in water and sediment flows and planimetric geomorphic changes.The disturbances sources correspond to hydroelectric plants, water withdrawals for irrigation and the sustained decrease trend in rainfall in the basin. The changes in the plan‐view shape of the river reach were quantified using remote sensing techniques, through a supervised classification of Landsat 5 TM and 8 OLI satellite images, identified Water (W), Islands and Riverine Vegetation (IRV) and Bars and Banks Without Vegetation (BBWV), obtained a Kappa index>0,83 for a period of 15 years (2006–2021).Compared with historical records, the period of analysis shows a decrease in annual rainfall by 17.5%. In addition, water withdrawals for irrigation have contributed to a 64% decrease in monthly stream discharge during the dry season. As a consequence of the decrease in annual rainfall and water withdrawals for irrigation, the sediment transport capacity has also decreased by 10.5%.The changes in morphological driving variables (stream flows and sediment transport regimes) have manifested themselves in morphological changes, where it was possible to establish that a change in the channel form occurred in the last 15 years, going from a river with a single channel to a braided one. An important vegetation establishment has accompanied this morphological change on both riverbanks and the central bars. The colonizing vegetation corresponds to fast‐growing non‐native species (Salix spp., Populus spp. and Alnus spp). A stabilization of the channel form is expected, consolidating itself as a braided section with alternating vegetated bars.

Stochastic Flow Analysis for Optimization of the Operationality in Run-of-River Hydroelectric Plants in Mountain Areas

The highly temporal variability of the hydrological response in Mediterranean areas affects the operation of hydropower systems, especially in run-of-river (RoR) plants located in mountainous areas. Here, the water flow regime strongly determines failure, defined as no operating days due to inflows below the minimum operating flow. A Bayesian dynamics stochastic model was developed with statistical modeling of both rainfall as the forcing agent and water inflows to the plants as the dependent variable using two approaches—parametric adjustments and non-parametric methods. Failure frequency analysis and its related operationality, along with their uncertainty associated with different time scales, were performed through 250 Monte Carlo stochastic replications of a 20-year period of daily rainfall. Finally, a scenario analysis was performed, including the effects of 3 and 30 days of water storage in a plant loading chamber to minimize the plant’s dependence on the river’s flow. The approach was applied to a mini-hydropower RoR plant in Poqueira (Southern Spain), located in a semi-arid Mediterranean alpine area. The results reveal that the influence of snow had greater operationality in the spring months when snowmelt was outstanding, with a 25% probability of having fewer than 2 days of failure in May and April, as opposed to 12 days in the winter months. Moreover, the effect of water storage was greater between June and November, when rainfall events are scarce, and snowmelt has almost finished with operationality levels of 0.04–0.74 for 15 days of failure without storage, which increased to 0.1–0.87 with 3 days of storage. The methodology proposed constitutes a simple and useful tool to assess uncertainty in the operationality of RoR plants in Mediterranean mountainous areas where rainfall constitutes the main source of uncertainty in river flows.

Jellyfish search algorithm for optimization operation of hybrid pumped storage-wind-thermal-solar photovoltaic systems

This study applies Jellyfish Search Algorithm and five other algorithms to minimize the electricity generation cost of two hybrid systems for one operating day. The first system comprises one pumped storage hydroelectric plant and two thermal power plants. The second system is expanded by integrating one wind and one solar photovoltaic power plant into the first system. For each system during one operating day, the pumped storage hydroelectric plant with only generation mode acts as a conventional hydroelectric plant in the first scenario. Still, it can run pumps to store water and produce electricity in the second scenario. As a result, JSA can reach smaller costs than all compared algorithms, from about 1 % to higher than 10 % for two scenarios in the two systems. The comparisons of generation cost indicate the second scenario with the pumped storage hydroelectric plant can reach a smaller cost than the first scenario with the conventional hydroelectric power plant by $53,359.7, corresponding to 7.4 % in the first system and $39,472.8, corresponding to 6.95 % in the second system. Therefore, the water storage function of the pumped storage hydroelectric plant is very effective in reducing the electricity generation costs for hybrid power systems.

The Power of Light and Electric Shock: How Soviet Children Unravelled the Electric Plot Line

Abstract: The article traces the tropes of electricity — hydroelectric plants, powerlines, transmission towers, electricians and lightbulbs — in early Soviet illustrated childrens’ books. It shows how the books counterintuitively synthesize fairy-tale elements and productivist themes while teaching Soviet children about the science, technology and ideology of electricity. The article thus argues that these early Soviet picturebooks use electricity in profoundly subversive ways. By drawing on the fairy-tale model, these books perpetuated Russian modernist associations of pre-revolutionary electricity with irrationality and magic, foregrounded the subversive ambiguity of electricity as an enlightening and dangerous energy and transmitted essentially modernist modes of synaesthetic reading to define Soviet modernity.

Regional Precipitation Regimes and Evaluation of National Precipitation Datasets against Satellite-Based Precipitation Estimates, Republic of Georgia

Abstract Analyzing water resources in areas with few hydrometeorological stations, such as those in post-Soviet countries, is difficult due to station closures after 1989. In Caucasus, evaluations often rely on outdated data from nearby rivers. We evaluated one national-level precipitation dataset, the Water Balance of Georgia (WBG) with two satellite-based precipitation products from 1981 to 2021, including the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) data and CHIRPS blended with a dense rain gauge network (geoCHIRPS). We modeled mean annual precipitation from geoCHIRPS as a function of coastal distance and elevation. CHIRPS underestimated precipitation in the cold and wet seasons (R2 = 0.74, r = 0.86) and overestimated dry season precipitation, while geoCHIRPS performed well in all seasons (R2 = 0.86, r = 0.92). Distance from the coast was a more important predictor of precipitation than elevation in western Georgia, while precipitation correlated positively with elevation in the east. At four hydroelectric plants, the underperformance as a percentage of capacity (∼37%) corresponds with the percentage difference between differences in precipitation products (∼38%), suggesting that plants designed based on WBG may be systematically overdesigned, but further work is needed to determine the reasons for the underperformance of the plants and frequency. We conclude that 1) the existing WBG does not accurately reflect elevation–precipitation relationships near the coast, and 2) for accurate analysis of spatiotemporal precipitation variability and its impacts on hydropower generation and environmental and sustainable water resource management, it is essential to calibrate satellite-based precipitation estimates with additional rain gauge data.

POLICY INSTRUMENTS FOR POLITICAL CAPACITY : lessons from three infrastructure projects in the Brazilian Amazon

The ongoing debate over development strategies highlights the importance of infrastructure to boost economic and social growth, but several studies have pointed to state capacity deficits to plan and implement infrastructure projects. This paper aim to investigate the construction of policy instruments for political state capacity to implement large hydroelectric plants in the Brazilian Amazon, based on the congruence method to produce evidence of three hydroelectric plants. Data analysis reveals that despite the development and activation os policy instruments in the Brazilian democratic era, these were not enough to produce high levels of political capacity, then state bureaucracies still fail in addressing the demands of vulnerable groups. This can be explained by asymmetrical development of political capacity in the structure of public administration; the use of political capacity instruments in the advanced stages of the policy process; the contestation of the mapped demands from participatory process by state bureaucracies.

COMPLEMENTARIEDADE HIDRO/SOLAR NA BACIA DO ALTO SÃO FRANCISCO: UMA ALTERNATIVA PARA GERENCIAMENTO DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS

This paper aims to evaluate the benefit of the combined operation of a hydro/solar system at USFB, specifically at the Três Marias Hydroelectric Plant (HPP), to raise the level of its reservoir. For this purpose, the hydrological/hydroelectric modeling of USFB and Três Marias HPP is carried out on the RS MINERVE hydrological/hydroelectric simulation platform. USFB hydrological modeling is done using three hydrologically homogeneous regions and the hydrological conceptual model HBV. The hydroelectric modeling was adjusted to the physical characteristics of the Três Marias HPP. The calibration and validation process uses eight performance indicators. The chosen scenarios evaluate an increase of 7% in evapotranspiration and a decrease of 10% and 20% in precipitation, respectively. Water storage and energy generated at the Três Marias HPP are the output variables of the simulation process. From the results obtained in the simulation, the projected Photovoltaic Plant (PVP) is dimensioned. The results show that with the complementarity of the projected PVP it is possible to increase the volume of the reservoir for the proposed study scenarios. Therefore, hydro/solar complementarity at USFB can be an alternative for the management of water resources.

Hydropower Plants and Ichthyofauna in the Tocantins–Araguaia River Basin: Challenges for Planning and Approaches to Ichthyofauna Conservation

The management of water resources is a complex issue, and the conservation of fish and fishery resources is a growing challenge given the increase in the number of hydroelectric projects in Brazilian river basins. This study describes the fragmentation of the Tocantins–Araguaia River Basin resulting from the installation of hydroelectric plants in operation and planned by the electricity sector until 2050, as well as its relationship with the conservation of fish fauna, especially long-distance migratory species. The hydroelectric projects in operation and planned were analyzed using data obtained from the National Electric Energy Agency. A literature review was carried out to assess the fish species of the Tocantins–Araguaia ecoregion, with an emphasis on long-distance migrants. In general, 75 hydroelectric dams are in operation, and a further 119 projects are in the electricity sector’s plans for construction by 2050 in the Tocantins–Araguaia ecoregion, including a stretch of the basin above the Tucurui dam, which will accentuate the fragmentation in the area. Of the 702 species found in the region, 31.1% are endemic, 6.1% are endangered, and several long-distance migratory species have had their populations restricted. Analysis of this information highlights the widespread impact on the ichthyofauna, affecting both species with a restricted distribution and migratory species with a long-distance distribution. The studies associated with the projects contribute to the advancement of knowledge, but they are only carried out after the works have been defined, which makes it difficult to plan conservation in advance. Transformations in the basin are imminent given the current changes and those expected in the coming years because of the electricity sector’s planning for the region. Considering the inseparable relationship between biodiversity and socio-environmental and cultural diversity, fish conservation is intrinsically linked to the conservation of socio-diversity and the effective participation of local communities from the start of the process. Fish depend on water, and people need both water and aquatic diversity. In conclusion, a well-structured and adaptative conservation plan, combined with the integration of effective fish routes, can contribute to the sustainable development of hydroelectric projects while safeguarding the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the Tocantins–Araguaia Basin.

Analysis of Migratory Catfish Production from Artisanal Fishing in the Middle Madeira Sub-Basin Using New Monitoring Methods, Southwestern Amazon

Studies on the production of Pimelodidae catfish in the Amazon are generally carried out in large fishing centers. However, the data referring to small-scale fisheries have gaps that can represent a risk to the activity. This study evaluated the volume produced and the revenue obtained from migratory catfish of the Pimelodidae family of commercial interest landed in Humaitá, Amazonas, Brazil, from May 2018 to April 2019. Daily monitoring was carried out with the Z-31 Fishermen’s Colony through questionnaires to fishermen for each vessel docked. The total production was 6013.93 kg, with 1,689 fish counted and 13 species. A total of 186 landings by 122 fishermen in 24 fishing sites characterized as rivers, lakes, and “igarapés” were evaluated. The average selling price was R$5.57/kg, and the highest volumes were obtained from July to September, mainly with gillnets, where the “Surubim” Pseudoplatystoma punticfer had the highest volume and revenue. Low productivity was verified in most localities, characterizing the fishing as artisanal. The lack of adequate conditions for storing and transporting fish, the local hydrological variations, and the presence of hydroelectric plants on the Madeira River are major factors limiting the fishing expansion in southern Amazonas.