Pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) project's present an enormous opportunity to power our clean energy future; however, it also present numerous challenges in an era where fewer dams are constructed in Australia compared with last century. With these projects, weirs are often required to create reservoirs in which water is pumped between to generate electricity. Minimising impacts of PHES projects on fish is an important consideration to satisfy sustainability measures for hydropower projects, particularly for open loop PSH schemes where at least one reservoir is located on a waterway.
We reviewed the potential impacts to fish in regard to the potential construction of PHES projects and ways these could mitigated by considering fish passage early in the design process. Different forms of design solutions must be assessed to determine feasibility for site conditions and suitability for existing fish community.
In some instances, environmental impacts to fish passage may be high and unavoidable or they would be mitigated by significant restrictions on design and operation of the pumped hydro energy storage project. Alternately, offset options may need to be considered and if we progress with these projects we need to invest time and effort early to avoid significant delays, costs and design changes.
Impacts associated with pumped hydro energy storages are similar to other fish passage barriers throughout Australia and knowledge from these projects can be applied towards management of and upgrades to existing infrastructure.