Factors affecting water quality in the releases from hydropower reservoirs

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Proceedings of the American Power Conference; (United States)

OSTI ID:6020623

Ruane, R J; Hauser, G E ^[1]

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1. Tennessee Valley Authority, Chattanooga, TN (United States)

Typical water quality concerns with releases from hydropower reservoirs include low dissolved oxygen, inappropriate temperature for downstream uses, supersaturation of total dissolved gases, and water quality constituents associated with low dissolved oxygen. Except for supersaturation of total dissolved gases, which is usually caused by by-passing turbines and spilling water, all of these concerns are related to the limnology of the upstream reservoir. Various limnological factors affect water quality, particularly dissolved oxygen (DO) in turbine releases. This paper describes three groups of reservoirs, thermal stratification characteristics for each group, DO effects for each group, the main factors that affect DO in TVA turbine releases, and other water quality constituents that are related to low DO.

• OSTI ID: 6020623
• Report Number(s): CONF-9004133--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Proceedings of the American Power Conference; (United States) Journal Volume: 52
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY
130100* -- Hydro Energy-- Resources & Availability
130700 -- Hydro Energy-- Power-Conversion Systems
DISSOLVED GASES
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDRAULIC TURBINES
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
LIMNOLOGY
MACHINERY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
POWER PLANTS
SOLUTES
STRATIFICATION
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER QUALITY
WATER RESERVOIRS