What are the disadvantages to hydropower?

While hydropower offers advantages over other energy sources, it faces unique environmental challenges. Key disadvantages of the source include the following:

• Fish populations can be impacted if fish cannot migrate upstream past impoundment dams to spawning grounds or if they cannot migrate downstream to the ocean.
• Hydropower can impact water quality and flow, and physical environment.
• Hydropower plants can cause low dissolved oxygen levels in the water, a problem that is harmful to riparian (riverbank) habitats.
• Hydropower plants can be impacted by drought. When water is not available, the hydropower plants can't produce electricity.
• New hydropower facilities impact the local environment and may compete with other uses for the land. Local cultures and historical sites may be impinged upon.
• High investment costs.
• Hydrology dependent- needs precipitation.

Research by Theresa Pipher