Hydro-Energy Potential Assessment in the Context of E-Flows for Himalayan Upland Rivers

Modi, Ankit; Tare, Vinod; Sharma, Devkinandan

Hydro-Energy Potential Assessment in the Context of E-Flows for Himalayan Upland Rivers

2022

Modi, Ankit | Tare, Vinod | Sharma, Devkinandan

Significant hydropower projects have resulted in fragmentation of the rivers and alteration of flow regimes with consequent adverse effects on the river’s ecosystems. To conserve aquatic ecosystems, the minimal desired river flow regime—environmental flows—is advised to maintain in the river system. While maintaining environmental flows, it is equally important to carry out the impact of environmental flows over the hydro-energy generation capacity of hydropower projects. In the present study, the energy generation reduction of provisioning environmental flows has been assessed for five major hydro electric projects on Rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, the two significant head-streams of India’s national river Ganga, located in the Himalayan uplands. The E-Flows assessment done by Tare et al., (2017) is used in the present study, which rationally integrates the ecological and geo-morphological needs of the river. Tare et al., (2017) recommended monthly E-Flows for the upper Ganga basin from ~ 23 to ~ 40% and ~ 29 to ~ 53% of natural flows for the wet and lean periods, respectively. They assessed E-Flows using flow data of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers for 1972–1982 and 1977–1987, respectively. The annual average reduction in potential energy production due to E-Flows provision in the Alaknanda-Bhagirathi basin is found in between 14.9 and 21.0% for these hydro electric projects. The estimated reduction in energy generation is higher in the lean flow period than in the wet period. This study shows that about 79 to 85% of capacity power generation is possible in the basin after provisioning E-Flows.

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