1. Hydropower and the WFD: constraint or opportunity?
Dr Ute Collier
Global Freshwater Programme
WWF International

2. WWF position on hydropower
Need for comprehensive energy option assessments
Planning at national (energy policy) but also river basin level
Priority to energy efficiency
Designate ‘No – go’ rivers
Small isn’t necessarily best
Comprehensive mitigation measures in line with WFD requirements

3. Hydropower potential in the EU
Currently exploited – almost 80%
Few large hydro sites left but renewed push for small hydro
24 TWh - remaining small hydro potential
Need to preserve ecological integrity of last remaining natural rivers & river stretches

4. hydropower production
changes hydrological
regime
strong impact on river connectivity
influences nutrient and sediment budget
can destroy
whole ecosystems
irreversibly
renewable: 17% global electricity
low greenhouse
emission
instant
availability
& flexibility
dilemma:
hydropower production

5. Europe’s rivers are the most heavily dammed in the world
VMAD = Virgin Mean Annual Discharge
(from Nilsson et al, 2005)

6. Loss of ‘multi-purpose’ ecosystem functions
natural flood control
ground water recharge
water purification
erosion control
salinity control
biodiversity (fish, birds, trees, etc.)
river fish and coastal fisheries (shellfish)
employment (e.g. fishery, tourism)

7. Status of Wild Atlantic Salmon (19 countries incl. 9 EU countries)
WWF, 2001
Hydropower dams and other man-made river obstructions form severe obstacles to upstream and downstream migration of salmon, so reducing population viability.

8. WFD demands improvement!
Existing mitigation options such as:
Fishladders
Environmental flows
Habitat restoration
need to be refined to meet WFD, not business-as-usual

9. WFD and new hydro
Art. 4.7 exemption: “New physical modification”, needs strict sustainability tests and mitigation
Art. 4.8: No other water bodies in the river basin district are affected and other EU laws, including Habitats, Birds and EIA Directives, are respected
Art. 4.9: Same level of environmental protection as other EU laws is guaranteed
Art. 14 public participation, etc.

10. WFD and existing hydro
Water bodies affected by existing hydro plants can be exempted from “good ecological status” if they are designated as HMWBs:
Articles 4.3 (HMWB designation criteria), 4.8 and 4.9
“Good ecological potential” and “good chemical status”  mitigation required

11. WFD and hydro (cont’d)
Open issues:
definition of “impacted zone”
definition of ‘infeasible’ or ‘disproportionately expensive’
hydro-morphology mitigation still needed
maximum ecological potential – what are the reference conditions?
cost-recovery – polluter pays rather than consumer pays

12. The way forward?
‘Greening’ electricity from hydropower

14. 53 power plants
97 MW total capacity
483 GWh/year
Rapid growth
Some cost recovery through electricity tariffs

15. Conclusions
Hydro has environmental benefits & costs
Still much room for improvement & cost internalisation
WFD as an opportunity for ecological improvements in hydropower
‘Green’ hydro standards as a possible model for WFD compliance?

16. Thank you