Increasing Safety Downstream of Hydropower Facilities

Abstract

The sudden, unexpected release of water from hydropower generation presents a hazard to fishermen below the dam. Using research involving the effect of wind speed on human performance, the hazard is identified as the rapid rise in turbulent waters whose exponential increase in impact force quickly restricts the ability to move to the shore. Cases involving the drowning of fishermen at two hydropower facilities in the Southeast are analyzed according to the principles of safety engineering. The analysis reveals that the most effective protection to the fisherman is an active warning system. Such a system would provide people at risk with timely visual and audio information concerning the immediacy of the hazard. This is most reliably accomplished with a computerized verbal‐command warning of the need to leave the area due to the intended release of water through the turbines.