§5.2 Example: Strategic planning of new hydropower developments in the Danube

Strategic planning of new hydropower station in the Danube basin Guiding Principles on Sustainable Hydropower development in the Danube Basin were developed by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and were adopted by the Danube countries in June 2013. The guiding principles were drafted as part of a broad participative process involving representatives from energy and environment administrations, the hydropower sector, NGOs and the scientific community. They recommend a strategic planning approach for the development of new hydropower stations. This approach should be based on a two-level assessment (including lists of recommended criteria), the national/regional assessment followed by the project specific assessment. A first step identifies river stretches where hydropower development is forbidden by national or regional legislation/agreements (exclusion zones). Criteria, which are in place in some European countries for this category include: protected areas, high ecological value stretches, reference stretches, catchment size. A recommended list for national/regional criteria include the following: — Naturalness. Status of river stretches/water body in relation to the deviation from type-specific natural conditions regarding hydrology, morphology, biological and sediment continuity as well as biological communities. — Status of water body with regard to rarity and ecological value. Rarity of the river type, ecological status of a rive stretch and sensitivity. — Specific ecological structure and function of the river stretch also with regard to the whole catchment/sub-basin and in relation to ecosystems services. E.g. particular habitats for sensitive/valuable fish species or other biological quality elements in the riverine ecology (e.g. red list species. — Conservation areas and protected sites. E.g. Natura 2000 areas, Ramsar sites, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, National, Regional and Nature Parks, etc. In a second step, all other stretches will be assessed using the assessment matrix and classification scheme. As many river stretches and floodplains in the Danube basin are protected under the Birds and Habitats Directives, the provisions and requirements according to the management and protection of Natura 2000 sites and the need for an appropriate assessment of impact of possible projects in the concerned areas need to be taken into account. The national/regional assessment is an instrument to help administrations direct new hydropower stations to those areas where minimum effects on the environment are expected. Danube-basin-wide or trans-border aspects need to be taken into account where appropriate. The national/regional assessment benefits both the environment and water sector but also the hydropower sector since it increases the predictability of the decision-making process and makes transparent where licences for new projects are likely to be issued. While the assessment at national/regional level is more of a general nature, the project specific assessment classifying the appropriateness of river stretches for potential hydropower use provides a more detailed and in-depth assessment of the benefits and effects of a concrete project. This helps in assessing whether a project is appropriately tailored to a specific location. The project-specific assessment is carried out in response to an application for issuing the licence for a new hydropower plant and therefore depends on the specific project design. Mitigation measures then have to be set to minimise the negative effects of hydropower installations on aquatic ecosystems. Ensuring fish migration and ecological flows are priority measures for maintaining and improving the ecological status of waters. Other mitigation measures such as improving sediment management, minimising the negative effects of artificial water level fluctuations (hydropeaking), maintaining groundwater conditions or restoring type specific habitats and riparian zones are important for riverine ecology and wetlands directly depending on aquatic ecosystems. These measures should therefore be considered in the project design, taking into account cost-effectiveness and security of electricity supply. The guiding principles acknowledge the application of the procedure laid down in Article 6(3) and 6(4) of the Habitats Directive when new hydropower developments might affect Natura 2000 site. https://www.icpdr.org/main/activities-projects/hydropower

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07