Hydropower in Brazil: Future Direction, Fisheries Impacts and Research Needs

Recent estimates pointed out that Brazil already has around 700 dams installed for hydropower generation, mostly deployed in the southern and southeastern regions. Hydropower in Brazil is responsible for about 85% of electrical energy available corresponding to just 30% of the hydraulic potential. Therefore, the national authorities developed a plan to encourage the construction of new dams in the central-west and northern regions. Most of the studies developed to evaluate the negative impacts of dams over the fish fauna were conducted for the southern river showing drastic losses in diversity, abundance and fisheries yield especially for migratory fishes. Also, as long as new dams are built in northern river basins where fish productivity is very high new impacts arrive, increasing the need for research development to approach these issues. Fish migratory behavior, fish passages, fish kills in turbines and fish protection systems emerge as urgent subjects to be addressed. Fish migratory behavior and passage issues had been well covered but at a local scale. Other studies showed potential efficiency of fish barriers to avoid fish kills in turbines. Unfortunately study development has not occured as quickly as new dams are installed.