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Peer-reviewedCC BYPerspectives in Ecology and Conservation

Small hydropower plants, large consequences: why low environmental impact in legislation does not mean low impact on migratory fish

  • Alexandre Peressin1
  • Stephannie Fernandes2
  • Ivo Gavião Prado3
  • João de Magalhães Lopes4
  • Paulo Santos Pompeu5
5 affiliations
  1. 1Centro de Ciências da Natureza, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) – Campus Lagoa do Sino, CEP 18245-970, Buri, SP, Brazil; Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, United States of America; Corresponding author.
  2. 2Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, Florida International University, Miami, United States of America
  3. 3Pisces - Consultoria e Serviços Ambientais, Rua Comandante Vilas Boas, 35, CEP 37206-662, Lavras, MG, Brazil
  4. 4Complexo Cultural e Científico de Peirópolis, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, 38039-755, Uberaba, MG, Brazil
  5. 5Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Federal University of Lavras, Campus Universitário, CEP 37200-900, Lavras, MG, Brazil
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Abstract

Migratory fish provide food, income, and key ecosystem services for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Hydropower development is widely recognized as a major threat to these species, with impacts often assumed to be proportional to project size or operational type. However, this assumption overlooks a key ecological feature of migratory fish: their dependence on spatially connected habitats to complete their life cycle, particularly spawning grounds. By blocking access to these critical reproductive areas, both small and large dams can disrupt migration routes, reduce reproductive success, and ultimately compromise entire populations. Despite this, projects classified as “small” are often treated as low-impact and may undergo simplified environmental assessment, even when they pose substantial ecological risks. In this Policy Forum, we argue that the impact of hydropower projects on migratory fish, regardless of their generation capacity, can only be properly estimated using a multi-scale framework, grounded in ecological connectivity, population dynamics, and cumulative basin-scale effects.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{peressin2026small,
  title = {{Small hydropower plants, large consequences: why low environmental impact in legislation does not mean low impact on migratory fish}},
  author = {Alexandre Peressin and Stephannie Fernandes and Ivo Gavião Prado and João de Magalhães Lopes and Paulo Santos Pompeu},
  journal = {Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.pecon.2026.09.004},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2026.09.004},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Small hydropower plants, large consequences: why low environmental impact in legislation does not mean low impact on migratory fish
AU  - Alexandre Peressin
AU  - Stephannie Fernandes
AU  - Ivo Gavião Prado
AU  - João de Magalhães Lopes
AU  - Paulo Santos Pompeu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/25
JO  - Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation
DO  - 10.1016/j.pecon.2026.09.004
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2026.09.004
AB  - Migratory fish provide food, income, and key ecosystem services for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Hydropower development is widely recognized as a major threat to these species, with impacts often assumed to be proportional to project size or operational type. However, this assumption overlooks a key ecological feature of migratory fish: their dependence on spatially connected habitats to complete their life cycle, particularly spawning grounds. By blocking access to these critical reproductive areas, both small and large dams can disrupt migration routes, reduce reproductive success, and ultimately compromise entire populations. Despite this, projects classified as “small” are often treated as low-impact and may undergo simplified environmental assessment, even when they pose substantial ecological risks. In this Policy Forum, we argue that the impact of hydropower projects on migratory fish, regardless of their generation capacity, can only be properly estimated using a multi-scale framework, grounded in ecological connectivity, population dynamics, and cumulative basin-scale effects.
SN  - 2530-0644
ER  -