Could road constructions be more hazardous than an earthquake in terms of mass movement?

Roads can have a significant impact on the frequency of mass wasting events in mountainous areas. However, characterizing the extent and pervasiveness of mass movements over time has rarely been documented due to limitations in available data sources to consistently map such events. We monitored the evolution of a road network and assessed its effect on mass movements for a 11-year window in Arhavi, Turkey. The main road construction projects run in the area are associated with a hydroelectric power plant as well as other road extension works and are clearly associated with the vast majority (90.1%) of mass movements in the area. We also notice that the overall number and size of the mass movements are much larger than in the naturally occurring comparison area. This means that the sediment load originating from the anthropogenically induced mass movements is larger than its counterpart associated with naturally occurring landslides. Notably, this extra sediment load could cause river channel aggregation, reduce accommodation space and as a consequence, it could lead to an increase in the probability and severity of flooding along the river channel. This marks a strong and negative effect of human activities on the natural course of earth surface processes. We also compare frequency-area distributions of human-induced mass movements mapped in this study and co-seismic landslide inventories from the literature. By doing so, we aim to better understand the consequences of human effects on mass movements in a comparative manner. Our findings show that the damage generated by the road construction in terms of sediment loads to river channels is compatible with the possible effect of a theoretical earthquake with a magnitude greater than Mw = 6.0.

An Improvement Framework for Maintenance Management

Maintenance is one of the main stages to deliver business outcomes from physical assets over their life cycles. However, as unexpected events and performance may occur in maintenance management, organizations shall be aware of how to address them as well as other opportunities for improvement. Accordingly, this chapter intends to present an improvement framework for maintenance management. The first two sections provide an introduction to maintenance management improvement and its interface with the ISO 55000 series for asset management and the maintenance management model (MMM). Then, the proposed framework and its activities for improvement in maintenance management are discussed in the third section. The fourth section addresses an overview of the main RCA techniques to support the framework implementation. Finally, a hydroelectric power plant case study is discussed to demonstrate the framework in a real operational context.

Method of calculation of water-diverting structures of low-head hydroelectric power plant for power supply of small power consumers

In recent years and in many countries the economic development of distant regions is increasingly dependent on energy resources. This fact makes the world scientific community pay more attention to the renewable energy sources. Special attention is paid to the solar, wind and small hydropower for electrical consumers who have no possibility to connect to the central power supply lines. In the countries that have water resources the financial support is given to the development of small and micro hydropower stations. The present work presents the results of the research on the improved method of calculation of water-diverting structures of low-head hydroelectric power plant with an installed cross-jet hydro turbine that is actual for the power supply of small power consumers. The presented method can be used for the preliminary analysis of morphometric characteristics of water course as well as the basic parameters of a cross-jet hydro turbine.

Evidenciação Ambiental: uma análise dos relatórios de sustentabilidade da Usina Hidrelétrica Itaipu com base na Global Reporting Initiative – GRI ## Environmental Disclosure: an analysis of the sustainability reports of the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant based on the Global Reporting Initiative – GRI

Considerando que o setor de hidrelétricas causa impactos ambientais de larga escala e que a evidenciação ambiental vem se tornando cada vez mais relevante para as organizações, a presente pesquisa teve por objetivo avaliar a qualidade da evidenciação ambiental praticada nos relatórios de sustentabilidade da Usina Hidrelétrica Binacional Itaipu. Quanto à abordagem, este estudo fundamenta-se na pesquisa qualitativa, e quanto ao objeto, este estudo se classifica como uma pesquisa documental. Para atingir o objetivo desta pesquisa, a coleta dos dados foi proporcionada pelos relatórios de sustentabilidade da Usina Hidrelétrica Itaipu do período de 2014 a 2019, a partir da confrontação dos princípios apresentados pela Global Reporting Initiative para a elaboração do relatório com o conteúdo dos relatórios divulgados pela Itaipu. A análise dos relatórios indica que a Itaipu apresentou falhas quanto a aderência do princípio “comparabilidade”, ao omitir informação sobre os valores investidos nos projetos analisados, fazendo com que a leitura do stakeholder ficasse prejudicada, entretanto, é possível identificar que a Itaipu buscou manter-se alinhada com os demais princípios analisados. O presente estudo contribuiu por buscar preencher a lacuna sobre a análise de evidenciação ambiental de uma organização de relevância social como a Itaipu Binacional.ABSTRACTConsidering that the hydroelectric sector causes large-scale environmental impacts, and that environmental disclosure is becoming increasingly relevant for organizations, this research aimed to evaluate the quality of environmental disclosure practiced in the sustainability reports of the Binational Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant . As for the approach, this study is based on qualitative research, and as for the object, this study is classified as documentary research. To achieve the objective of this research, data collection was provided by the sustainability reports of the Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant from 2014 to 2019, based on the confrontation of the principles presented by the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines with the content of the reports disclosed by Itaipu. The analysis of the reports indicates that Itaipu failed to adhere to the "comparability" principle, by omitting information on the amounts invested in the projects analyzed, causing the stakeholder reading to be impaired, however, it is possible to identify that Itaipu sought to maintain aligned with the other principles analyzed. This study contributed by seeking to fill the gap on the analysis of environmental disclosure in an organization of social relevance such as Itaipu Binational.

PREDIKSI DEBIT ALIRAN MASUK KE TELAGA MENJER MENGGUNAKAN PERSAMAAN NERACA AIR DAN PEMODELAN HEC-HMS

The Menjer lake is the main source for Hydroelectric Power Plant of the PLTA Garung. Information about the water balance and the potential of existing water resources in the Menjer Catchment Area (DTA) is needed to obtain an efficient operating pattern, the sustainability of the Garung hydropower plant, and good management of the Menjer Lake. The purpose of this study was to estimate the inflow of three main rivers in the Menjer catchment area using HEC-HMS hydrological and water balance approach. Simulated results of the HEC-HMS model shows that the average of total the inflows of three main rivers to the Menjer lake in 2017, 2018 and 2019 during rainy season are 0.954 m3/s, 0.944 m3/s, and 1.017 m3/s, and during dry season are 0.820 m3/s, 0.783 m3/s, and 0.80 m3/s, respectively. While the prediction results of the discharge with the equation of the water balance shows that the average of total river inflows to the Menjer lake during rainy season is 2017 is 1.628 m3/s, in 2018 it is 1.579 m3/s, and in 2019 it is 3.296 m3/s and during dry season is 1.893 m3/s in 2017, 1.176 m3/s tahun 2018, and 1.893 m3/s in 2019. These results indicate that the results of discharge modeling with HEC-HMS are smaller than those predicted by the water balance equation. The study concluded that HEC-HMS could be used to predict daily inflows. However, further calibration and validation need to be carried out by recommending installing a river flow monitoring station at each river outlet.Keywords: water balance HEC-HMS, inflow prediction

GEODYNAMICS

The paper analyzes the vertical displacements of the GNSS sites of civil engineering structures caused by non-tidal atmospheric loading (NTAL). The object of the study is the Dnister Hydroelectric Power Plant №1 (HPP-1) and its GNSS monitoring network. The initial data are the RINEX-files of 14 GNSS stations of the Dnister HPP-1 and 8 permanent GNSS stations within a radius of 100 km, the NTAL model downloaded from the repository of German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ for 2019-2021, and materials on the geological structure of the object. Methods include comparison and analysis of the altitude component of GNSS time series with model values of NTAL as well as interpretation of the geodynamic vertical displacements, taking into account the analysis of the geological structure. As a result, it was found that the sites of the GNSS network of the Dnister HPP-1 undergo less vertical displacements than the permanent GNSS stations within a radius of 100 km. This corresponds to the difference in thickness and density of the rocks under the GNSS sites and stations, so they undergo different elastic deformations by the same NTAL. In addition, the research detected different dynamics of vertical displacements of GNSS sites on the dam and on the river banks. It leads to cracks and deformations of concrete structures in the dam-bank contact zones. During the anomalous impact of NTAL, the altitude of even nearby sites can change if the geological structure beneath them is different. The work shows that for civil engineering structures it is necessary to apply special models to take into account NTAL deformations for high-precision engineering and geodetic measurements.

Genetic Diversity of the Surubim-Do-Iguaçu, a Giant Catfish Species Threatened with Extinction: Recommendations for Species Conservation

Steindachneridion melanodermatum is the largest catfish of the Lower Iguaçu River and is endangered due to the habitat fragmentation caused by dams. Currently, the wild population’s last refuge is restricted to an area of 190 km. This study presents the first analysis of its genetic diversity and population structure, using microsatellite loci and mtDNA. The population has an adequate level of genetic diversity, but signs of a recent bottleneck were observed. The Baixo Iguaçu Hydroelectric Power Plant has recently fragmented the population and threatened it with extinction in a reduced area of nearly 30 km. Based on our results, we strongly advise against the stocking of breeding specimens below the Salto Caxias HPP to not compromise the integrity of the native gene pools at the receptor sites. In addition, we recommend manual fish transposition, trap-and-haul, to maintain the genetic connectivity of individuals upstream and downstream of the dam as a conservation strategy. Furthermore, studies on behavior and swimming capacities, and suitable fishways for this species must be developed. We strongly recommend that the Lower Iguaçu River and its tributaries be protected and preserved as free from additional barriers to prevent future habitat disruption for the benefit of S. melanodermatum and several other endemic and endangered species.

Hydraulic flow rate increase maneuver for ichthyofauna repulsion in bulb-type generating units – Jirau Hydroelectric Power Plant

Several repulsion systems have been developed to minimize the confinement of ichthyofauna in draft tubes. In this perspective, this study intends to analyze the efficiency of the hydraulic flow rate increase maneuver, using a hydroacoustic system for real-time monitoring of the movement of the ichthyofauna confined within the draft tube of the generating units of Jirau Hydroelectric Power Plant. It is located on the Madeira River, in Rondônia, Brazil. We analyzed footage of 105 machine shutdowns taken between 2019 and 2020 at Jirau Hydroelectric Power Plant that used the hydraulic flow rate increase maneuver as a strategy to repulse ichthyofauna. Also, the footage of 7 two-stage shutdowns in the year 2020 was analyzed, the first stage without the maneuver and the second with the maneuver. The follow-up of 105 shutdowns demonstrate that approximately 85% of the footage showed little or no movement of ichthyofauna in the draft tube, with images of movements showing patterns characteristic of small fish (~97%). Furthermore, the quantitative evaluation of the two-stage maneuver indicated a reduction of approximately 91% in the movement of ichthyofauna after the hydraulic flow rate increase maneuver. Thus, the increase in the rate of the hydraulic flow procedure, developed by Jirau Energia, proved to be an innovative and efficient strategy in reducing extensive social and environmental impacts and in favoring positive economic impacts.

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF A WATER INTAKE FACILITY FOR MOUNTAIN AND SUBMOUNTAIN RIVERS

Introduction: The rate of urbanization is currently high. Therefore, it is important to use various elements and devices for water intake and water supply. Purpose of the study: We aimed to consider and analyze the structural features of a water intake facility for mountain and submountain rivers. Methods: In the course of the study, we used the synergistic research principle and statistical analysis. We analyzed the types of water supply networks at mountain rivers and identified the features of water intakes at water sources of this type. Results: A description of water intake features under flood conditions in the Amur Region, exemplified by the Bureya River, was obtained. The mountain rivers have an uneven runoff, which fluctuates not only throughout the year but also throughout the day. The water supply of the mountain and submountain areas shapes the idea of hydrological control over the regime of the mountain rivers. This paper will help to study changes in the average water inflow over the years and thus facilitate an accurate and detailed description of the water inflow characteristics in the Bureya reservoir when planning the water-energy modes of the hydroelectric power plant.