Environmental Impacts of Expanding Small-scale Hydropower in Sogn & Fjordane

Abstract

In this thesis we made use of GIS-software to assess the visible impacts of small-scale hydropower in Sogn & Fjordane and compare it with the area of installation before and after construction. We found that the visible changes in landscape exceeds the land occupation given in the concession applications of five small hydro installations in the county. We study the average land occupation, both temporary and permanent, given in concession applications to NVE. Using NVE’s overview of potential hydropower from an analysis conducted in 2003, which mapped the potential for small-scale hydropower in Norway, we estimated the average land occupation necessary to realize all potential hydropower in Sogn & Fjordane. The average value for land occupation, both temporary (42,56 daa1) and permanent (7,94 daa), was calculated from 8 concession applications available at NVE’s public archive. Further, we explore the potential change in INON if we were to realize all potential hydropower through statistical analysis of the small-scale hydropower sites. We found that the total loss of INON would be 956 149,8 daa, leaving 7 367 510,9 daa of INON area in Sogn & Fjordane. Lastly, we explore the number of conflicts these potential hydropower sites may have with red-listed species within the critically endangered (CR) and endangered (EN) categories. We found that within 100 m of all the potential hydropower sites in Sogn & Fjordane there were 84 observations of red-listed species.