Hydrological Resource
As a significant water resource development, a hydropower project requires a very good understanding of water inflows and outflows to and from the project site and the future operating hydropower facility. Poor estimations of water availability can lead to inefficient design and operation of the hydropower facility and reduce its production potential.
Good practice requires a high level of understanding of the hydrological resource availability and reliability for the project or operating hydropower facility, and the implementation of a plan for generation operations based on these flows.
Understanding good practice
Adhering to good practice in hydrological resource management can help a project developer, owner or operator better address issues around hydrological resource availability and reliability in the short- and long-term.
International industry good practice in hydrological resource for hydropower projects is defined in the Hydropower Sustainability Guidelines on Good International Industry Practice (HGIIP).
Assessing project performance
Two assessment tools are available to measure hydropower project performance:
In Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP), Hydrological Resource is addressed in P-7 for the preparation stage and O-4 for the operation stage.
In Hydropower Sustainability ESG Gap Analysis Tool, Hydrological Resource is addressed in Section 11.
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