Articles | Volume 27, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1493-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1493-2023
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06 Apr 2023
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 06 Apr 2023

Patterns and drivers of water quality changes associated with dams in the Tropical Andes

R. Scott Winton, Silvia López-Casas, Daniel Valencia-Rodríguez, Camilo Bernal-Forero, Juliana Delgado, Bernhard Wehrli, and Luz Jiménez-Segura

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Executive editor
The quest for low-carbon energy sources is driving a wave of new hydropower dam construction throughout the world. This is particularly the case in mountain regions such as the Andes, where a very large, untapped potential for hydropower still exists. It is therefore essential to get a better grip on the side-effects of dam development, and their impact on water quality is a very important but highly understudied aspect of those. This is again particularly timely and relevant in tropical regions, which are facing a perfect storm of limited data availability, poorly understood processes, and major challenges for sustainable development.
Short summary
Dams are an important and rapidly growing means of energy generation in the Tropical Andes of South America. To assess the impacts of dams in the region, we assessed differences in the upstream and downstream water quality of all hydropower dams in Colombia. We found evidence of substantial dam-induced changes in water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration and suspended sediments. Dam-induced changes in Colombian waters violate regulations and are likely impacting aquatic life.