Basin-wide Environmental Impact Assessment For Hydropower Development

The main purpose of the research – is based on mathematical and cartographic modeling and geographical information systems technologies to develop and deliver a methodology for an assessment of environmental impacts of hydropower development in the river basin. The methodology has been piloted by the assessment carried out for the Heilong River basin.The Amur / Heilong River basin was chosen as a case study for the present research, as it exemplifies transboundary region in need of shared environmental responsibility. There are 12 dams proposed on the main stem of the Heilong River and at least other 80 large dams proposed and already constructed in the river basin shared by three countries.The environmental and socio-economic impacts of such massive development are very complex and difficult to predict, since they are followed by uncalculated risks that are not taken into account. Therefore there is an urgent need in relatively simple, but comprehensive express-assessment method that would allow comparing basin-wide environmental impacts of various water infrastructure development scenarios, and choose the project with the least severe environmental risks and highest productivity of the HPP proposed in the Heilong river basin.The first chapter of the research discusses major functions of large dams and what impacts on the environment it potentially might have. As well, it provides a cost-benefit analysis of hydropower development and dam construction. In addition, the first chapter lists main techniques for the assessment of hydropower impacts discussed in the world literature. The second chapter addresses recent hydropower development trends in China, as well as analyses the legal framework for the environmental impact assessment of domestic and transboundary hydropower projects. The third chapter explains the importance of applying best environmental assessment techniques to the hydropower development plans in the Amur / Heilong river basin, as well as takes a retrospective approach on the hydropower cooperation issues between Russia and China. It reviews the history and modern trends of hydropower and water resources management in Heilong region in both countries; it also briefly describes possible environmental and social impacts of the proposed dams’ construction. Based on the findings of the world literature review, the fourth chapter proposes the key assessment factors and indicators for large dams’ environmental impact evaluation. Next, it suggests the methodology for the basin wide express assessment of environmental impacts of hydropower development that would evaluate such parameters as the downstream changes in the hydrological regime and floodplain ecosystems, transformation of aquatic ecosystems above the dam, fragmentation and isolation of the river basin. Following, chapter five exemplifies the proposed methodology for the demo assessment of the Bureya River basin, which clarifies how the calculations were carried out for the Amur / Heilong river basin. Finally, the chapter six reveals the results and conclusions of the conducted express assessment and provides recommendations for possible ways of the hydropower development in the basin and joint cooperation between two countries.Using the suggested methodology the author has conducted the basin-wide assessment of potential dam locations in the Amur / Heilong River basin and evaluated its environmental impacts with regard to its efficiency. Based on the results of such assessment, the author has proposed a classification of the planned dams based on the three categories(satisfactory(22), unsatisfactory(24), harmful(5), and catastrophic(15)) that point at the environmental impacts of dams and compare the impacts with the electricity generation capacity of the dams.In addition, the author has predicted several potential scenarios of the hydropower development in the basin and has recommended that the introduction of the environmental standards and increase of the energy efficiency on existing facilities is a mandatory first step for asustainable development in the region, and only after it is completed, can a decision be made on the feasibility of dam construction. If it was found feasible, necessary and justifiable, only the construction of dams from the “Satisfactory” category may be implemented as least harmful and most efficient. The construction of dams under other categories must be avoided.