Hydroelectric Power Plant Reservoir Research Articles

High connectivity and migration potentiate the invasion of Limnoperna fortunei (Mollusca: Mytilidae) in South America

Even after almost 30 years of Limnoperna fortunei introduction into South America, it is still unclear how the source and propagules are connected. Here, we present genetic evidence of population connectivity and gene flow of L. fortunei propagules from Asia into South America, proposing the main invasion routes into South America. To achieve that we expanded the sampling effort to cover all occurrence points of L. fortunei in South America. We sequenced the mtDNA COI gene and genotyped eight microsatellite loci (ML), and we evaluated the genetic source of the recently introduced population in Sobradinho hydroelectric power plant reservoir in Northeast Brazil. Our results revealed that China is the main genetic source of propagules for the Sobradinho population. We also found COI haplotypes and ML genotypes unique to South American populations, demonstrating a bridgehead effect likely caused by local mutation, adaptation, and admixture patterns that are maintained by high levels of gene flow among them. However, two genetic barriers were also detected. We concluded that L. fortunei is a well-established invader and is still rapidly expanding in Brazil, and the Amazon hydrographic basin is under an alarming threat of invasion.

EVALUATION OF SENTINEL-2/MSI IMAGERY PRODUCTS LEVEL-2A OBTAINED BY THREE DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERIC CORRECTIONS FOR MONITORING SUSPENDED SEDIMENTS CONCENTRATION IN MADEIRA RIVER, BRAZIL

Abstract. Data provided by spatial sensors combined with remote sensing techniques and analysis of the optical properties of waters allow the mapping of the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in aquatic bodies. For this, estimation models require data with the lowest possible amount of atmospheric artifacts. In this study we compared the water remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) of the Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Power Plant reservoir in Porto Velho-RO, Brazil, after applying three different atmospheric corrections algorithms in Sentinel-2/MSI imagery products. The atmospheric corrected reflectances of the MODIS sensor were also used for reference. SSC was calculated with models based on the red and near-infrared (NIR) bands over three distinct regions of the reservoir. Reflectance data showed significant variations for Sentinel-2, bands 4 and 8a, and MODIS, bands RED and IR, when different atmospheric correction algorithms were used. SSC maps and estimates were produced to show sediment load variation as a function of hydrological regime. The analyzes showed that the SSC estimates done with Sentinel-2 / MSI satellite images using GRS (Glint Remove Sentinel) atmospheric correction presented an average difference of 27.3% and were the closest to the in situ measurements. SSC estimates from MODIS products were around 34.6% different from estimates made using the GRS atmospheric correction applied to Sentinel-2 / MSI products.

Hydrosedimentological modeling in a headwater basin in Southeast Brazil

Hydrosedimentological modeling is a useful tool to predict the water dynamic in a basin and for water resources management. This study aimed to i) evaluate the ability of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to model sediment load and continuous monthly streamflow in the Mortes River Basin (MRB) in Southeastern Brazil; ii) estimate the sediment yield spatially distributed by sub-basins; iii) estimate the sediment load export to the Funil Hydroelectric Power Plant reservoir (FHPP), located in the MRB outlet. [...]

Геоинжиниринг: области распространения, аспекты безопасности в техносфере и особенности управления

In this paper have been considered the basic approaches and main principles of geoengineering. The “geoengineering” term transformation, as well as the term’s specifications of use in the Russian-language scientific literature, and the application area have been demonstrated. In connection with the growing biosphere problems, it has been proposed to classify mining and global pollution (i.e. pollution of atmosphere, hydrosphere and soil) as geoengineering. Special attention has been paid to the possible risks of geoengineering (including at large reservoirs of hydroelectric power plants), and the necessity for detailed study before launching of large-scale projects. The UN approach to geoengineering management has been characterized, and the main principles of geoengineering regulations have been presented. An extended classification of geoengineering technologies has been proposed.

AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DA ÁGUA DO RESERVATÓRIO DA USINA HIDRELÉTRICA DE PETI, MINAS GERAIS

O reservatório da Usina Hidrelétrica (UHE) de Peti, localizado na sub-bacia do Rio Santa Bárbara, Minas Gerais, foi construído para geração de energia, entretanto, suas águas são utilizadas em diferentes atividades, incluindo a recreação. Neste contexto, este trabalho objetivou avaliar a qualidade da água do reservatório, seu índice de eutrofização e indicadores de balneabilidade. Para isso, foram utilizados documentos cedidos pela Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (CEMIG) referentes aos indicadores de qualidade das águas entres os anos de 2009 e 2018, obtidos em 4 estações de monitoramento. Notou-se que os indicadores de qualidade da água a montante do reservatório apresentaram resultados insatisfatórios, principalmente aqueles relacionados ao fósforo e coliformes termotolerantes. As análises das amostras coletadas na área do reservatório indicaram índice de qualidade da água “bom” e índice de estado trófico “mesotrófico”. Entretanto, quanto à balneabilidade, a presença de traços de óleo e graxa apontam que as águas são impróprias para o contato primário. Dessa forma, ressalta-se a importância da realização de trabalhos de educação ambiental com os usuários de barcos a motores e jet-ski para prevenir o derramamento de contaminantes nas águas, assim como a realização de novos estudos para identificação de outras possíveis fontes poluidoras.

Environmental Impacts of Dam Reservoir Filling in the East Amazon

Mitigating the environmental impacts caused by hydroelectric dams is a worldwide challenge. Aquatic ecosystems are most impacted during the reservoir filling phase, yet water quality and biogeochemical dynamics are not well-studied at this stage. Here we evaluate water quality and hydraulic parameters in the Araguari River (Amapa, Brazil) during the filling of the Ferreira Gomes Hydroelectric Power Plant reservoir (HPPFG). The following key variables were monitored along with 19 other physical and chemical variables: Trophic State Index (TSI), Total Coliform (TC), E. coli (EC) and Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a). The following hydraulic-operational variables were also investigated: inflows (Qa), outflows (Qd), and variation in reservoir volume (Vol%). Multiple Regression Analyses showed that the key parameters were both significantly influenced by physio-chemical and hydraulic variables. Dissolved oxygen levels showed significant spatial variation, likely due to influence of turbulence from two other hydropower complexes upstream of the HPPFG reservoir. Vol% influenced TSI, which ranged from oligotrophic to hypertrophic and eventually stabilized at mesotrophic. Levels of TSI, TC, and Chl-a decreased and the level of E. coli increased as a function of Vol%. Cluster Analysis showed the formation of three spatial groups—two inside the reservoir and one downstream. This suggests that in the rainy season or transition season, the hydraulic residence time in the reservoir is very low (16-36 hr) when hydrodynamic processes are dominant. In the dry season residence times of roughly 1 month suggest that biogeochemical (e.g., nutrient utilization) and hydrodynamic processes occur at similar time scales. Overall, results from this study confirm the hypothesis that the filling phase has significant impacts on the key parameters of the water quality, which were at times above legal limits. We conclude that the filling phase generated environmental impacts and their repercussions should be considered in environmental assessment of future hydropower developments.

PV power generation on hydro dam’s reservoirs in Brazil: A way to improve operational flexibility

The combined increase of energy demand and the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere force the power generation to ride by a sustainable path. Photovoltaic conversion is one of the emerging technologies pointing out as a potential source of energy for the coming years. The aim of this study is to propose a sustainable hydro-solar model to substitute the current model of power production in Brazil. The review of floating PV power plants has pointed very small participation of this technology despite the exceptional country’s geophysical condition. The big land extension occupied by solar panels to generate significant amounts of energy suggests the use of open water surfaces for the installation of large PV plants. The expressive amount of flooded areas by Hydro-Electric Power Plant (HEPP) reservoirs was evaluated to identify the potential for the implementation of PV Floating Power Plants (PV-FPP) near the HEPP dams. As a result of this study, the authors had found that by using less than 10% of their surface the HEPP reservoirs in Brazil can accommodate PV-FPP supplying the electricity demand with solar energy during peak irradiation hours while balancing grids with hydro-power during low/no irradiation times, improving the operational flexibility.

ОЦЕНКА ВОЗДЕЙСТВИЯ СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВА МАЛОЙ ГИДРОЭЛЕКТРОСТАНЦИИ НА КАЧЕСТВО АТМОСФЕРНОГО ВОЗДУХА

Environment – a set of components of the natural environment, natural and natural-anthropogenic objects, as well as anthropogenic objects. When carrying out any construction work, it is necessary to assess the impact of emissions of pollutants on the environment. One of the features of the energy sector at the beginning of the 21st century is the strict regulation of its further development with the requirements of preserving a favorable environment and preventing global pollution. This determines the trend towards an increasing role of renewable energy sources and, first of all, the most efficient hydropower. In the world, small energy began to develop in recent decades, this is mainly due to the desire to avoid environmental damage caused by reservoirs of large hydroelectric power plants, with the ability to guarantee energy supply in isolated and inaccessible areas. The creation of small hydroelectric power plants instead of small power plants operating on fossil fuels leads to a significant improvement in the air basin. This article provides an assessment of the ecological state of the territory from the point of view of the possibility of construction of the object and a preliminary qualitative forecast of possible changes in the environment during the implementation of the planned construction works and its negative consequences. Based on the analysis of the initial state of the environment and the forecast of its resistance to man-made impacts, the assessment of the possible impact of the construction object on the environment in accordance with the requirements for environmental documentation was carried out.

Comparison of supervised classifiers in the discrimin ation of preservation areas in a hydroelectric reservoir

The maintenance of riparian forests is considered one of the main vegetative practices for mitigating the degradation of water resources and is mandatory by law. However, in Brazil there is still a progressive and constant decharacterization of these areas. Facing this reality, it is necessary to broaden researches that identify the occurring changes and provide efficient solutions at a fast pace and low cost. Remote sensing techniques show great application potential in characterizing natural resources. The objective of this work was to map, to characterize the land use and occupation and to verify the best method of high spatial resolution image classification of the Permanent Preservation Areas of the Funil Hydroelectric Power Plant reservoir, located between the municipalities of Lavras, Perdões, Bom Sucesso, Ibituruna, Ijací and Itumirim, in the state of Minas Gerais. The methods used to classify the high spatial resolution image from the Quickbird satellite were visual, object-oriented and pixel-by-pixel. Results showed the best method for mapping land use and occupation of the study area was object-oriented classification using the K-nearest neighbor algorithm, with kappa coefficient of 0.88 and global accuracy of 91.40%.

Use of Accumulation Basins to Reduce Silting of Reservoirs of Hydroelectric Power Plants Located on Mountain Rivers

The effectiveness of the use of accumulation basins ordinarily used for river sediment to reduce the rate of silting of the reservoirs of hydroelectric power plants situated on mountain rivers is considered. The investigation is performed by methods of numerical hydrodynamic simulation based on the two-dimensional Saint-Venant equations and a new model of sediment transport that takes into account the fractional composition of the sediment. Using as an example a concrete reservoir located on a mountain river, it is shown that it is extraordinarily important to take into account the heterogeneity of the soil in the process of solving these types of problems. A combination of the annual hydraulic flushing of reservoirs and mechanical removal of soil from the accumulation basins together assure the required useful volume throughout the entire service life of the hydroelectric plant, though it requires the annual removal of up to 40% of the sediment discharge of the river.

Physiological and functional aspects of metal-binding protein associated with mercury in the liver tissue of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) from the Brazilian Amazon

High concentrations of mercury found in soils, sediments, fish, and humans of the Amazon region have gained prominence in scientific studies during the last decade. However, studies related to the elucidation of mercury toxicity mechanisms in ichthyofauna at the molecular and metallomic levels that seek to elucidate physiological and functional aspects, as well as the search for biomarkers of mercury exposure, are still sparse. In the search for these answers, the present study analyzed the hepatic tissue proteome of the Arapaima gigas (pirarucu) fish species collected in the Jirau hydroelectric power plant reservoir in the state of Rondônia state, Brazil, in order to identify mercury-related metal-binding proteins and to elucidate their physiological and functional aspects. The proteomic profile of the hepatic tissue of Arapaima gigas was obtained by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and the presence of mercury was mapped in the protein SPOTS by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry(GFAAS). Mercury was detected in 18 protein SPOTS with concentrations ranging from 0.13 ± 0.003 to 131.00 ± 3 mg kg−1. The characterization of the protein SPOTS associated with mercury was performed by electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI–MS/MS), and 10 proteins were identified. Bioinformatics analyses showed that most of the proteins found linked to mercury were involved in cellular component processes and biological processes. For the most part, protein sequences have cellular functions comprising catalytic, binding, sense of localization, and metabolic processes.

The first filling of the Laúca hydroelectric power plant reservoir

The first filling of the Laúca hydroelectric power plant reservoir

Analysis of solar photovoltaic energy potential in Brazilian hydroelectric reservoirs through floating panels

Sustainability, a concept used to exploit natural resources without harming future generations, is being applied to power generation. In Brazil, the main source of electric energy comes from hydroelectric plants, due to abundant water resources. However, the implementation of these plants causes irreversible impacts on the environment and society. On the other hand, the impacts caused by photovoltaic panels are considerably smaller in the construction phase and zero in the operation phase. This article describes the impacts generated by hydroelectric power plants and gives an overview of the power generated by floating photovoltaic panels using 10% of the area of the reservoirs of the largest hydroelectric power plants in Brazil. The results demonstrate a better efficiency of the photovoltaic panels in the water, which cools them, increasing their efficiency. Furthermore, photovoltaic panel power generation amount is higher than compared the annual power generation of three out of four hydroelectric plants analyzed. In addition, adding solar energy to the reservoirs would save infrastructure costs, considering that energy can be made available through substation infrastructure and existing power transmission systems.

Regularities of the Development of Coastal Processes on Water Reservoirs of Hydroelectric Power Plants of Belarus

. According to field observations, currently in the Republic there is an active destruction of the bedrock costs and slopes of more than 80 % of water bodies. The total length of the coasts of reservoirs that are subjected to processing is about 350 km with a maximum regression of more than 40 m. The reasons of activation of process of processing of the coast caused by construction of new reservoirs of power engineering purpose are considered. The length of the coasts of the new reservoirs exposed to abrasion processing will increase in the near future by more than 30 km, which will have some impact on the surrounding areas and objects of the regional economy. As for the channel-type reservoirs, processing of the cost is being expanded only in the near-dam part of the reservoir and reaches 40 % of the coastline. At the same time, the value of this indicator might be up to 70 % of the length of the coasts of the lake-type reservoirs. Having taken this problem into account, it became necessary to generalize the corresponding accumulated factual data and the results of scientific research. Therefore, the results of theoretical studies of the process of processing of coastal slopes of reservoirs of hydroelectric power plants of Belarus presented by the author, along with the updated data, are of practical importance for decision-making in the regulation of engineering activities for coastal protection. The article presents the theoretical issues of the development of abrasion processes in the banks of reservoirs of hydroelectric power plants in Belarus, based on the data of field observations and laboratory studies. On the basis of the law of conservation of mass and taking into account hydrological features of reservoirs, geological structure of relief and granulometric composition of soils forming the bank, balance mathematical models of development of the equilibrium coastline and the profile of the dynamic equilibrium of the banks that are subjected to processing are developed, criteria for the stability of slopes have been obtained.

Climatological and hydrological patterns and verified trends in precipitation and streamflow in the basins of Brazilian hydroelectric plants

This study focuses on investigating possible changes in hydrometeorological behavior on important Brazilian river basins for power generation purposes. Thereby, this research analyzes the historical averages and observed trends regarding rainfall and streamflow and their impact on the hydrological regime. Ten river basins were selected for the assessment of alterations in the precipitation and streamflow series throughout descriptive measures and statistical significance tests (Mann-Kendall and Sen’s slope). These data are available over different time spans, but most of the records include information from 1961 to 2006. As long as these river basins are subjected to different climate types, their corresponding rainfall and streamflow patterns vary accordingly the basin location in the country, in addition to the season. Most of the country has a predominantly tropical climate, with a wet period concentrated between October and March and a dry period between April and September. Some exceptions are the Northeastern region, where the climate is semi-arid, besides the Southern region, where there is abundant precipitation throughout the year. According to the obtained results, it could be noted that the streamflow response to precipitation is faster in the smaller river basins, what can be due especially to the water travel time. It was found that Belo Monte basin, in Northern Brazil, presents a statistically significant reduction in the annual rainfall. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the annual streamflow was also identified in Xingo and Sobradinho basins, in the Northeastern region. In contrast, Itaipu basin, located in Southern Brazil, showed increasing statistically significant trends in annual rainfall and streamflow during the second half of the twentieth century. Relevant decreasing trends were also identified in the minimum streamflows of the Brazilian Northern and Northeastern basins and increasing ones in the maximum streamflows in the Southern region basins. The results obtained in this work will support the assessment of the impact of rainfall and streamflow future scenarios in regulating capacity of the hydroelectric power plant reservoirs.

Reservatório de Foz do Areia, Brasil: Aspectos Físicos, Químicos e Cianotoxinas

Os processos de desenvolvimento humanos regem grandes alterações no ambiente natural, os quais podem ser citados as formas de produção de energia via hidrelétricas com grandes reservatórios de água que transformam o ambiente natural, levando a alterações nas condições naturais enquanto outros processos antrópicos, que podem desencadear a produção de cianotoxinas pelas cianobactérias, especialmente a Microcistina-LR, uma hepatotoxina altamente perigosa. Já tendo apresentado episódios de proliferações de cianobactérias, o objetivo do estudo consistiu em pesquisar e avaliar os aspectos físicos, químicos e a ocorrência de cianotoxinas no reservatório de Foz do Areia. Foram investigados os principais parâmetros de qualidade da agua, matéria orgânica e Microcistina-LR e os resultados interpretados por análise de componentes principais para levantar os principais fatores influenciadores da produção fitoplanctônica, a relação entre o aumento da biomassa e a ocorrência de cianobactérias relacionadas à produção da toxina, ocorrência das cianobactérias, possivelmente, produtoras da toxina e a ocorrência da toxina intra e extracelular nos pontos monitorados. Os resultados demonstraram que embora o aumento da biomassa fitoplanctônica esteja relacionada com a maior incidência de radiação solar e operação hidráulica do reservatório, não foram encontrados fatores condicionantes específicos a ocorrência da proliferação de cianobactérias no reservatório e com a produção da toxina pelos microrganismos, bem como relação entre os parâmetros pesquisados e a liberação da toxina para o ambiente externo.

Tree community dynamics in a forest adjacent to the reservoir of a hydroelectric power plant in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

This study aimed at analyzing the dynamics of tree components in a forest adjacent to the Barra Grande Hydroelectric Power Plant reservoir, in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, located in the municipality of Capão Alto. In 2013, this area was previously inventoried and divided into three sectors according to the distance from the reservoir: lower sector (in contact with the reservoir), intermediate sector (a slope area following the first sector) and upper sector (near the slope top). Fifty plots were allocated in the sectors, where all tree individuals with DBH (diameter at breast height) higher than or equal to 5 cm were inventoried (identified and measured at the circumference). In 2017 the surviving individuals were measured again, the dead ones were registered and the recruits (those with DBH reaching 5 cm) were included into the survey. Dynamics rates in number of individuals and basal area were calculated. The tree community under study has shown species richness stability, though also structural development, which is typical of areas that are facing a self-thinning process. The higher density populations of each sector have shown a similar structural dynamics pattern. There were no differences in the demographic rates among sectors, indicating that, approximately 12 years after the reservoir filling, the forest dynamics has not been influenced by the reservoir but by ecological factors dependent on density, such as competition.

Determining the lengths of dry periods in annual and monthly stream flows using runs analysis at Karasu River, in Turkey

AbstractDrought analysis is a vital component of water resources planning and management for dam and hydroelectric power plant (HPP) construction, reservoir operation and flood control. In this study, stochastic models were developed to estimate the monthly and annual flows of the Karasu River in the upper section of the Euphrates River valley. A time series model of flows was established based on the Box–Jenkins methodology. An autoregressive (AR) model was selected as the most suitable model. One hundred synthetic series, having the same length as the historical series (40 years), were produced using the AR model. It was also possible to control whether or not the generated time series maintained the statistical characteristics (mean and standard deviation) of the historical time series. After applying specified threshold levels (q = 0.5; q = 0.3; q = 0.1), the historic and synthetic flow series were subjected to runs analysis. Dry period lengths (run sum and run length) of historic and synthetic flow series were determined. Future droughts are estimated using maximum dry period lengths.

Modelling spatially distributed soil losses and sediment yield in the upper Grande River Basin - Brazil

Water erosion negatively affects soil fertility, soil structure, and water availability to plants. Moreover, off-site erosion effects contribute to the sedimentation and eutrophication of water courses. The Grande River is one of the main tributaries of the Paraná River, and an important source of hydroelectric power in Brazil. The Upper Grande River Basin covers an area of 15,705km2, mostly occupied by rangelands. Shallow and little permeable Cambisols are the predominant soil class in the basin, which, combined with the intensive and highly concentrated summer rainfall, characterize an erosion-prone scenario. The aim of this study was to model the soil losses and the sediment yield in the Upper Grande River Basin. It also sought to quantify the sediment delivery to the two main hydroelectric power plant reservoirs in the basin: Camargos/Itutinga and Funil. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) were used to apply the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the Sediment Delivery Distributed model (SEDD) in the study area. The models were calibrated using sediment transport data obtained from a river gauging station located in a subwatershed. RUSLE predictions estimated that the average soil losses in the Upper Grande River Basin were of 22.35tha−1yr−1, and that bare soils, eucalypt and agriculture suffered the highest erosion rates among the identified land use classes. The average specific sediment yield in the basin was of 1.93tha−1yr−1. According to the model calibration, the specific sediment yield predictions showed an error of 0.01tha−1yr−1, or 0.6%. Agriculture and eucalypt forests, which compose approximately 10% of the study area, contribute to more than 40% of the sediment yield in the basin. The model predictions estimated that 1.45milliontyr−1 of sediments are delivered to the Camargos/Itutinga power plant reservoir, whereas the Funil power plant reservoir receives a sediment input of 1.68milliontyr−1. Although model calibration yielded small errors in relation to the observed sediment measurements, the relative lack of available data has impaired a more thorough validation of the employed models. Nevertheless, the results indicate that the RUSLE/SEDD approach may be useful for analyzing sediment transport in Brazilian watersheds, where limited input data is available.

Influence of the Amazon Hydrological Regime on Eutrophication Indicators of a Hydroelectric Power Plant Reservoir.

Dam constructions in the Amazon have increased exponentially in the last decades, causing several environmental impacts and serious anthropogenic impacts in certain hydroelectric power plant reservoirs in the region have been identified. The assessment of the trophic status of these reservoirs is of interest to indicate man-made changes in the environment, but must take into account the hydrological cycle of the area. This can be relevant for environmental management actions, aiding in the identification of the ecological status of water bodies. In this context, physico-chemical parameters and eutrophication indicators were determined in a hydroelectric power plant reservoir in the Brazilian Amazon to assess trophic variations during the regional hydrological regime phases on the reservoir, namely dry, filling, full and emptying stages. The local hydrological regimes were shown to significantly influence TSS and turbidity, as well as NH4, NO3, PO4, with higher values consistently observed during the filling stage of the reservoir. In addition, differences among the sampling stations regarding land use, population and anthropogenic activities were reflected in the PO43- values during the different hydrological phases.