07-09-2005, 04:36 AM
Mitigation of Hydroelectric Plants
A resolution to increase the quality of the world?s environment, at the expense of industry.
Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Mikitivity
Description:
The NationStates United Nations,
RECOGNIZING that many large watersheds and river systems cross international boundaries, and thus represent a shared resource between riparian and coastal nations;
OBSERVING the international nature of the economic benefit of abundant and healthy anadromous fish populations, such as salmon, which are born in small mountainous freshwater streams where they remain as fry and parr before transforming into smolts, then travel hundreds of kilometers down major river systems to reach the sea where they live most of their adult lives, and later return to the same streams where they were hatched in order to breed, to ocean and freshwater commercial fisheries;
AWARE that salmon represent an important source of Omega-3 fatty acids, though farmed salmon tend to have higher concentrations of dioxins and PCBs than wild salmon;
NOTING the desire to increase the maximum electrical output of existing hydroelectric plants by raising the head, or maximum storage height of the plant, or to design new hydroelectric power plants in order to meet growing electricity demands as part of an alternative to relying upon other forms of power generation;
FURTHER NOTING that electrical power generation is often one of several uses of the water which is stored in multi-use reservoirs;
BEARING IN MIND that the operation of large-reservoirs alters the unimpaired (i.e. natural) flow, water temperature, nutrient availability, and sediment load in the water downstream of the reservoir;
TAKING NOTE of the fact that since many migratory species, including anadromous fish, can not tolerate significant long-term deviations in the natural variations in flow patterns, water temperature, nutrient availability, and / or sediment load, that there have been declines in many native species? populations;
CONVINCED that in order for hydroelectric power to be of net beneficial use, that the environmental and commercial impacts of reservoir releases must be managed or mitigated in a sustainable way;
1. APPROVES of the continued research into the various water supply and hydroelectric power generation reservoir mitigation measures including the design and operation of temperature control devices, construction of fish passage structures (such as fish ladders), use of pulse flows during migration and other critical periods, and maintenance and restoration of riparian organic material sources (such as wetland habitats);
2. CALLS UPON nations to investigate and promote water supply and electrical demand reduction strategies, such encouraging energy efficient equipment, telecommuting and alternative work weeks, and operating large-scale industrial equipment during off-peak electrical demand periods;
3. SUGGESTS that adaptive management techniques such as timing reservoir releases to periods that are beneficial to both riparian wildlife and power users can minimize some of the impacts associated with large-scale reservoir releases;
4. RECOMMENDS the restoration of flood plains and seasonal wetland habitats, including designing flood bypass areas and seasonal agricultural easements;
5. FURTHER RECOMMENDS that these wetlands and flood bypasses be used to offset the need for dedicated floor pool storage in large multi-use reservoirs; and
6. EXPRESSES ITS HOPE that other alternative energy sources will be considered as supplements or alternatives to hydro-electric power generation, with the understanding that a sustainable power supply needs to be diverse and manageable in order to accommodate long-term economic stability.
A resolution to increase the quality of the world?s environment, at the expense of industry.
Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Mikitivity
Description:
The NationStates United Nations,
RECOGNIZING that many large watersheds and river systems cross international boundaries, and thus represent a shared resource between riparian and coastal nations;
OBSERVING the international nature of the economic benefit of abundant and healthy anadromous fish populations, such as salmon, which are born in small mountainous freshwater streams where they remain as fry and parr before transforming into smolts, then travel hundreds of kilometers down major river systems to reach the sea where they live most of their adult lives, and later return to the same streams where they were hatched in order to breed, to ocean and freshwater commercial fisheries;
AWARE that salmon represent an important source of Omega-3 fatty acids, though farmed salmon tend to have higher concentrations of dioxins and PCBs than wild salmon;
NOTING the desire to increase the maximum electrical output of existing hydroelectric plants by raising the head, or maximum storage height of the plant, or to design new hydroelectric power plants in order to meet growing electricity demands as part of an alternative to relying upon other forms of power generation;
FURTHER NOTING that electrical power generation is often one of several uses of the water which is stored in multi-use reservoirs;
BEARING IN MIND that the operation of large-reservoirs alters the unimpaired (i.e. natural) flow, water temperature, nutrient availability, and sediment load in the water downstream of the reservoir;
TAKING NOTE of the fact that since many migratory species, including anadromous fish, can not tolerate significant long-term deviations in the natural variations in flow patterns, water temperature, nutrient availability, and / or sediment load, that there have been declines in many native species? populations;
CONVINCED that in order for hydroelectric power to be of net beneficial use, that the environmental and commercial impacts of reservoir releases must be managed or mitigated in a sustainable way;
1. APPROVES of the continued research into the various water supply and hydroelectric power generation reservoir mitigation measures including the design and operation of temperature control devices, construction of fish passage structures (such as fish ladders), use of pulse flows during migration and other critical periods, and maintenance and restoration of riparian organic material sources (such as wetland habitats);
2. CALLS UPON nations to investigate and promote water supply and electrical demand reduction strategies, such encouraging energy efficient equipment, telecommuting and alternative work weeks, and operating large-scale industrial equipment during off-peak electrical demand periods;
3. SUGGESTS that adaptive management techniques such as timing reservoir releases to periods that are beneficial to both riparian wildlife and power users can minimize some of the impacts associated with large-scale reservoir releases;
4. RECOMMENDS the restoration of flood plains and seasonal wetland habitats, including designing flood bypass areas and seasonal agricultural easements;
5. FURTHER RECOMMENDS that these wetlands and flood bypasses be used to offset the need for dedicated floor pool storage in large multi-use reservoirs; and
6. EXPRESSES ITS HOPE that other alternative energy sources will be considered as supplements or alternatives to hydro-electric power generation, with the understanding that a sustainable power supply needs to be diverse and manageable in order to accommodate long-term economic stability.