EcoPeak4Fish

An integrated approach to support self sustaining fish populations downstream hydropower plants

Can we ensure the sustainable development of hydropower energy without compromising the riverine ecosystem, in particular freshwater fish, while maximizing the economic feasibility of HPP?

We believe that well planned and cost-effective measures involving the placement of flow-refuges or adapting the hydropower plant operation scheme can ease the impacts on fish without compromising the energy production. 

4E's of EcoPeak4Fish

Ecosystem

The flowing waters are the base of a river ecosystem, which include the biotic (living) interactions among fish, other animals, plants and riparian vegetation and macroinvertebrate, as well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and chemical interactions of its many parts.

River ecosystems are prime examples of lotic ecosystems, which means flowing waters. Among other animals and macroinvertebrates rivers are the habitat of different and unique fish species.  

Ecology

To understand fish ecology first, we need to understand the relationships between fishes and their environment. Fish ecology is dependent on the inter-relationships between fishes and the aquatic habitats they occupy.

The knowledge of fish habitat ecology for different fish species and its life stages is therefore a fundamental requisite for sustainable fish conservation and management, especially when other water uses, such as hydropower, are at stake.

Engineering

Hydropower maintains a prominent position amongst renewables, while being available to quick replace solar and wind and respond to electricity demand, thus contributing to reduce CO2 emissions and cope with climate change. 

Therefore, we need to invest in mitigation measures to ensure the development of self-sustainable fish populations downstream hydropower plants. The development of mitigation measures has to consider their durability in life in a frequent changing environment guaranteeing their usage in the long term.

Economy

The need to increase both hydropower production and support the development of self-sustainable fish populations in a most cost-effective way and with maximum societal benefit is urgent and recognized in the European Green Deal and in the UN Agenda 2030 (Goals 6&15).

 

Recent news

Attending Sustainability in Hydropower Conference 2023

EcoPeak4Fish Project Disclosure Public Session

Within the SHAREe “Sustainable Hydropower to Alleviate and Reduce Environmental externalities“ project funded by the EEA Grants Portugal, we attended the Sustainability in Hydropower Conference SUS HP 2023.

On the 12th May it took place in Boticas the EcoPeak4Fish Project Disclosure Public Session (Sessão Pública de Divulgação do Projeto EcoPeak4Fish). 

Isabel Boavida represented the EcoPeak4Fish project at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2023, which took place from 23 to 28 April in Vienna, Austria.

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“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”

Rumi

Consortium

IST, UL Project leader
ISA, UL
NOVA SBE
Hidroerg