Hydropower Reform Hydropower Reform CoalitionCoalition

Hydropower Hydropower Reform Coalition – Reform Coalition – Western Caucus Western Caucus MeetingMeeting

Oakland, CAOakland, CA March 10/11, 2008March 10/11, 2008 Richard J. BowersRichard J. Bowers

Hydropower Reform Hydropower Reform CoalitionCoalition

Advocates for river Advocates for river protection and restoration at protection and restoration at individual, privately-owned individual, privately-owned hydropower dams regulated hydropower dams regulated by the Federal Energy by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Regulatory Commission (FERC)(FERC)

More than 140 local, More than 140 local, regional and national regional and national outdoor recreation and outdoor recreation and conservation organizations conservation organizations that have effectively reduced that have effectively reduced the footprint of hydropower the footprint of hydropower dams on rivers.dams on rivers.

HRC Steering CommitteeHRC Steering Committee

Alabama Rivers AllianceWater Is Life

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview Perspectives on Perspectives on

hydropower and hydropower and watershedswatersheds

Hydropower as clean Hydropower as clean and renewable energy and renewable energy sourcesource

Economics of Economics of hydropower in a hydropower in a changing environmentchanging environment

New technologiesNew technologies Hydropower in a Hydropower in a

warmer worldwarmer world

Perspectives on Perspectives on HydropowerHydropower

The view from a The view from a river advocacy river advocacy positionposition

More than one More than one million fishermen, million fishermen, paddlers, birding paddlers, birding enthusiasts, and enthusiasts, and environmental environmental interests who are interests who are concerned with, and concerned with, and inspired by, riversinspired by, rivers

What is clean energy?What is clean energy?

Clean energy is any energy Clean energy is any energy that causes little or no harm that causes little or no harm to the environment. to the environment. Wind energyWind energy, solar energy , solar energy (in all its forms--(in all its forms--photovoltaicphotovoltaic, , geothermalgeothermal, solar thermal, , solar thermal, etc.), hydrogen and fuel etc.), hydrogen and fuel cells, wave and tidal energy, cells, wave and tidal energy, and biomass are all and biomass are all examples of clean energy.examples of clean energy.

What we’ve learned from What we’ve learned from history is that no known history is that no known energy source is 100% clean energy source is 100% clean

Conventional Hydropower Conventional Hydropower asas

Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy Water is renewable, Water is renewable,

abundant, reliable, abundant, reliable, affordable, & affordable, & sustainablesustainable

Low carbon-Low carbon-emissionsemissions

Potential of new Potential of new technologiestechnologies

Grid support for Grid support for wind, solar, otherwind, solar, other

Hydropower Impacts on Hydropower Impacts on Rivers & WatershedsRivers & Watersheds

Proven impacts on the Proven impacts on the function and resiliency of function and resiliency of natural systemsnatural systems

Fragmenting free-flowing Fragmenting free-flowing freshwater systemsfreshwater systems

Blocking the flow of Blocking the flow of nutrients and sedimentsnutrients and sediments

Blocking fish movementBlocking fish movement Destroying stream-side Destroying stream-side

habitathabitat Slowing and overheating the Slowing and overheating the

river upstream of the damriver upstream of the dam Reducing flows downstreamReducing flows downstream Destruction of native fish Destruction of native fish

populationspopulations Altering and reducing flows Altering and reducing flows

in formerly wild rivers.in formerly wild rivers.

Economics of DamsEconomics of Dams

Most of the sites that are environmentally and economically Most of the sites that are environmentally and economically acceptable have been developedacceptable have been developed

In a green economy, economic value must include the value and In a green economy, economic value must include the value and function that natural environments provide free of charge.function that natural environments provide free of charge.

As a mature technology, hydropower does not provide new and As a mature technology, hydropower does not provide new and innovative solutions, new investment and science, or job creation innovative solutions, new investment and science, or job creation

Expected changes in the future will affect the value of hydropower Expected changes in the future will affect the value of hydropower

Small Hydro ProjectsSmall Hydro Projects When you remove the When you remove the

few remaining sites for few remaining sites for new dams that make new dams that make environmental and environmental and economic sense, you are economic sense, you are left almost exclusively left almost exclusively with small scale hydro. with small scale hydro. Small hydro has all of the Small hydro has all of the impacts of a large dam impacts of a large dam on a river or watershed, on a river or watershed, with little of the with little of the economic or power economic or power production values. production values.

Small hydro = Small gain Small hydro = Small gain for huge costs!for huge costs!

What we supportWhat we support Water conservationWater conservation Keeping water in riverKeeping water in river Keeping water clean and Keeping water clean and

healthyhealthy Protecting speciesProtecting species Appropriately sited, Appropriately sited,

operated and mitigated operated and mitigated hydropowerhydropower

Hydropower that is Hydropower that is supportive of natural supportive of natural systemssystems

Increased efficiency at Increased efficiency at existing damsexisting dams

Opportunities to increase Opportunities to increase hydropower at non-power hydropower at non-power damsdams

Over 500 Small Hydro Over 500 Small Hydro Projects Proposed in British Projects Proposed in British

ColumbiaColumbia

HydrokineticsHydrokinetics Innovative hydropower Innovative hydropower

projects that use the forces projects that use the forces of currents, waves, and of currents, waves, and tides to generate clean, tides to generate clean, renewable electric energy. renewable electric energy.

Estimates are that the new Estimates are that the new hydrokinetic technologies, hydrokinetic technologies, if fully developed, could if fully developed, could double the amount of double the amount of hydropower production in hydropower production in the United States, bringing the United States, bringing it from just under 10% to it from just under 10% to close to 20% of the close to 20% of the national supply. national supply.

Hydrokinetic QuestionsHydrokinetic Questions

Unknowns regarding the potential environmental effects of Unknowns regarding the potential environmental effects of implementing new technologies in a new operating environment. implementing new technologies in a new operating environment.

Given that the commission is proposing a process in which license Given that the commission is proposing a process in which license applications would be reviewed, coordinated, and completed in the applications would be reviewed, coordinated, and completed in the space of six months, there is a great risk of rushing into decisions space of six months, there is a great risk of rushing into decisions that could result in significant unintended environmental impacts.that could result in significant unintended environmental impacts.

Potential impacts on commercial fishing, recreation and marine Potential impacts on commercial fishing, recreation and marine protection areas.protection areas.

Cumulative ImpactsCumulative Impacts

FERC Process for Licensing FERC Process for Licensing Hydrokinetic ProjectsHydrokinetic Projects

Recommendations to Recommendations to Reduce Impacts from a New Reduce Impacts from a New

TechnologyTechnology Identify appropriately Identify appropriately

sited renewable sited renewable energy facilitiesenergy facilities

Recognize and protect Recognize and protect sensitive speciessensitive species

Distinguish and avoid Distinguish and avoid potential impacts to potential impacts to recreation and recreation and commercial interestscommercial interests

Address cumulative Address cumulative impactsimpacts

Complete state, Complete state, regional and national regional and national planningplanning

Guarantee effective and Guarantee effective and coordinated public and coordinated public and agency involvementagency involvement

Include a requirement Include a requirement for project for project decommissioning and decommissioning and removal in cases where removal in cases where operation or installation operation or installation results in significant results in significant adverse impactsadverse impacts

Climate ChangeClimate Change Healthy Rivers are resilient – Healthy Rivers are resilient –

they are more likely to cope they are more likely to cope successfully with climate successfully with climate disruption.disruption.

Hydropower and healthy river Hydropower and healthy river ecosystems both depend on ecosystems both depend on flowing water. It is now flowing water. It is now beyond dispute that climate beyond dispute that climate change disruption will have change disruption will have physical effects on water physical effects on water availability which result in availability which result in important changes to the important changes to the timing, quantity and quality of timing, quantity and quality of river flows.river flows.

For hydropower production, For hydropower production, some of the effects and policy some of the effects and policy responses to climate responses to climate disruption shift the quantity of disruption shift the quantity of power produced, others affect power produced, others affect the value.the value.

Hydropower in a Warmer Hydropower in a Warmer WorldWorld

Reduced or increased quantity of power due to river flowReduced or increased quantity of power due to river flow Shifts in seasonal generationShifts in seasonal generation Flood control & spillsFlood control & spills Conflicts with other water usersConflicts with other water users Snowpack ReductionSnowpack Reduction Increased extreme precipitation eventsIncreased extreme precipitation events Increased evaporation and transpirationIncreased evaporation and transpiration Reduced PredictabilityReduced Predictability Changed water qualityChanged water quality

Parallel ImpactsParallel ImpactsHydropower & Climate Hydropower & Climate

ChangeChange Both destroy resiliency Both destroy resiliency

by disturbing habitats by disturbing habitats and altering the and altering the hydrological & fluvial hydrological & fluvial regimes within a regimes within a watershedwatershed

Both change the timing Both change the timing & volume of flows& volume of flows

Both increase water Both increase water temperaturetemperature

Both decrease water Both decrease water quality & quantityquality & quantity

Both reduce fish Both reduce fish migrationmigration

Both cause species Both cause species extinctionextinction

Hydropower Economics & Hydropower Economics & Potential in a Warmer Potential in a Warmer

WorldWorld Limited availability of Limited availability of

environmentally and environmentally and economically acceptable economically acceptable sitessites

No investment in new No investment in new technologies or job technologies or job creationcreation

Needed investment to Needed investment to offset history of natural offset history of natural systems impactsystems impact

offsetting damage to offsetting damage to natural systemsnatural systems

Time needed to site, Time needed to site, apply, approve and apply, approve and mitigate new dam mitigate new dam constructionconstruction

Recommendations for Recommendations for Hydropower in a Warmer Hydropower in a Warmer

WorldWorld Water conservation and Water conservation and

efficiencyefficiency Operate and equip Operate and equip

existing hydropower to existing hydropower to protect riversprotect rivers

New Hydropower – Not New Hydropower – Not new damsnew dams

Encourage non-Encourage non-conventional conventional hydropower with carehydropower with care

Coordinate multiple Coordinate multiple projects on a riverprojects on a river

Decommission and Decommission and remove hydropower remove hydropower dams where the benefits dams where the benefits are compellingare compelling

HRC Pacific Northwest HRC Pacific Northwest MembersMembers

Advocates for the West (ID)Advocates for the West (ID) Alaskan Center for the Environment Alaskan Center for the Environment

(AK)(AK) Alaskan Fly fishers (AK)Alaskan Fly fishers (AK) Alder Creek Canoe & Kayak (OR)Alder Creek Canoe & Kayak (OR) American RiversAmerican Rivers American WhitewaterAmerican Whitewater Bear River Watershed Council (ID)Bear River Watershed Council (ID) Cascadia Wildlands Project (OR)Cascadia Wildlands Project (OR) Center for Justice (WA)Center for Justice (WA) Columbia Riverkeeper (WA)Columbia Riverkeeper (WA) Conservation Northwest (WA)Conservation Northwest (WA) Federation of Fly Fishers (MT)Federation of Fly Fishers (MT) Fish for Cooper Creek Coalition (AK)Fish for Cooper Creek Coalition (AK) Friends of Living Oregon Waters Friends of Living Oregon Waters

(OR)(OR) Gifford Pinchot Task Force (OR)Gifford Pinchot Task Force (OR) Greater Yellowstone Coalition (MT)Greater Yellowstone Coalition (MT) Hells Canyon Preservation Council Hells Canyon Preservation Council

(OR)(OR) Idaho Rivers United (ID)Idaho Rivers United (ID)

Idaho Whitewater Association (ID)Idaho Whitewater Association (ID) Montana River Action Network Montana River Action Network

(MT)(MT) North Umpqua Foundation (OR)North Umpqua Foundation (OR) NW Resources Information Center NW Resources Information Center

(ID)(ID) Oregon Trout (OR)Oregon Trout (OR) Oregon Wild (OR)Oregon Wild (OR) Selkirk Conservation Alliance (ID)Selkirk Conservation Alliance (ID) Steelhead Trout Club of Washington Steelhead Trout Club of Washington

(WA)(WA) The Lands Council (WA)The Lands Council (WA) The Mountaineers (WA)The Mountaineers (WA) The Steamboaters (OR)The Steamboaters (OR) Trout UnlimitedTrout Unlimited Umpqua Valley Audubon Society Umpqua Valley Audubon Society

(OR)(OR) Umpqua Watersheds (OR)Umpqua Watersheds (OR) Utah Rivers Council (UT)Utah Rivers Council (UT) Washington Kayak Club (WA)Washington Kayak Club (WA) Water Watch of Oregon (OR)Water Watch of Oregon (OR)

www.hydroreform.orwww.hydroreform.orgg