MESHWR / Department of Hydrology and Water Resources / See the attached abstract below

No description available.

River environments are complex and dynamic ecosystems, and provide valuable ecosystem services such as clean water. The species rich riparian vegetation performs many important ecosystem functions such as reducing erosion and filter inputs from upland areas. Regulated flow regimes have decreased riparian plant species richness, cover and plant performance. To restore the integrity of riparian ecosystems, mitigation measures such as re-regulation of water-level regimes toward more natural seasonal fluctuations may be needed. The aim of this study was to assess potential responses of riparian plants to changes in water-level regulation in run-of-river impoundments to better match natural flow regimes. The elevational extent of plant species on riverbanks of two run-of-river impoundments in the Ume River were surveyed and their probability of occurrence along the gradient of inundation duration was modelled and compared to their distribution in the free-flowing Vindel River. Most species showed similar tolerance to flooding in the Ume and Vindel Rivers. Changes in elevational extent in response to three simulated environmental flow regimes were predicted by using the relationship between plant occurrence and inundation duration. A simulated spring flood and low water levels during the latter part of the growing season is predicted to result in the largest increase in elevational extent, with increases of 70-80% for several riparian species. However, only 47% of the riverbanks along run-of-river impoundments in the Ume River is deemed to be suitable for plant establishment, since many riverbanks are steep and devoid of fine-grained substrate as a result of erosion. / Älvmiljöer utgör komplexa och dynamiska ekosystem som tillhandahåller värdefulla ekosystemtjänster så som rent vatten. Den artrika strandvegetation bidrar till många viktiga ekosystemsfunktioner som närings- och giftupptag och till minskad erosion. Vattenregleringen med förändrade flödesregimer har minskat artrikedom, täckningsgrad och tillväxt av strandväxter. För restaurering av strandekosystemen kan omreglering till mer naturliga säsongsvariationer i vattenståndet vara nödvändigt. Den här studien syftade till att förutsäga hur utbredningen av strandväxter längs stränder i vattenkraftsmagasin potentiellt skulle förändras vid användande av miljöanpassade flöden för att mer likna naturliga flödesregimer i outbyggda älvar. Jag undersökte växternas utbredning i höjdled på stranden längs två magasin i Umeälven och beräknade sannolikheten för varje arts förekomst längs strandens översvämningsgradient. Av de arter som förekom i både Umeälven och den närliggande, outbyggda Vindelälven jämfördes växternas utbredningsgränser i respektive älv. De flesta arterna uppvisade liknande översvämningstolerans i Umeälven och Vindelälven. För att förutsäga förändringar i utbredning som respons på tre olika simulerade miljöanpassade vattenståndsregimer, jämfördes arternas översvämningstolerans vid nuvarade vattenstånd med simulerade vattenståndsregimer. En simulerad vårflod och lågt vattenstånd under sensommaren förväntas ge de största responserna i artutbredning med ökningar på 70-80% för ett flertal strandväxter. Endast 47% av älvstränderna i magasinen i Umeälven bedöms vara lämpliga för växtetablering eftersom stora delar av strandsträckorna är branta och saknar finkornigt substrat till följd av erosion.

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that shows the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere is rising at an unprecedented rate. This is attributed to increased levels of greenhouse gas emissions, a large proportion of which originates from anthropogenic combustion of carbon-based fossil fuels for energy. There is therefore a strong argument for the increased role of less environmentally damaging, low carbon energy sources including renewable energy technologies. Run-of-river hydropower is one such renewable energy option, considered more environmentally benign than traditional hydropower which requires the construction of large dams to create a reservoir. The aim of this study was to develop a model to search for, and map, economically viable run-of-river hydropower resource that can function on any global catchment of any size. Development and testing of the model was conducted on China's 2 million km2 Yangtze River drainage basin, the third longest river in the world and a rich landscape for hydropower. A gridded, distributed hydrological model was developed integrating high-resolution meteorological datasets and a digital elevation model (DEM). Using the model, the surface hydrology of the Yangtze catchment was simulated at a timestep of 6 minutes to obtain the mean daily surface runoff for every day from the beginning of 1979 to the end of 2007. Observed river flow data from sub-catchments of the Yangtze were used to calibrate the model by differential optimisation, an evolutionary computation technique. Validation was carried out on a 1.6 million km2 sub-catchment resulting in a mean objective function of 0.95 (where a perfect fit would be 1.0) across 8 objective functions commonly used in hydrology. Catchment wide mean daily runoff data was used to develop flow duration curves across the catchment river network. Virtual power stations were constructed at each river cell, iteratively testing differing scheme configurations, and costed using the RETScreen methodology. A best performing hydropower network was determined by a conflict algorithm, designed to prioritise high profit schemes and to remove lower performing and conflicting schemes. This resulted in a potential run-of-river installed capacity across the Yangtze catchment of 103GW (at 10% discount rate), generating 394TWh per annum. This model would be a valuable tool in finding optimal locations for future hydropower resource.

Waterhammer is an unsteady hydraulic problem which is commonly found in closed conduits of hydropower plants, water distribution networks and liquid pipeline systems. Due to either a malfunction of the system or inadequate operation conditions, pipeline may collapse or burst erratically resulting in substantial damages, and human losses in some cases. In this thesis, time dependent flow situations in the penstocks of small hydropower plants are investigated. A software, HAMMER, that utilizes method of characteristics for solving nonlinear differential equations of transient flow is used in the study. In two case studies, various operation conditions such as load rejection, load acceptance and instant load rejection are studied. The parameters and situations affecting pressure and turbine speed rises are investigated. Computed and available measured values are found to be very close. Also, differences between waterhammer responses of the Francis and Pelton turbines are revealed. Finally, specific protective measures are suggested to either diminish and/or avoid the harmful effects of waterhammer problems in small hydropower plants.

Run-of-river type hydroelectrical power plants are the facilities that use only the available flow on the river without storing it to generate electrical energy. These kind of facilities are composed of structural components such as diversion weir, conveyance line, forebay, penstock and power house. In this thesis, a computer program called &ldquo / MiniHEPP Hydraulic Design&rdquo / is developed in order to perform the hydraulic design of run-of-river type hydropower plants. This program which runs under the Windows operating system, was developed in C# programming language. MiniHEPP Hydraulic Design is capable of performing hydraulic design of structural components of diversion weir with sidewise intake and overflow spillway, canal, forebay, and penstock. In addition, it can determine the optimum design discharge and penstock diameter of this type of hydropower plants.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sedimentation and the effects it has on turbine blades was the primary problem identified in run-of-river (RoR) hydropower schemes. Sedimentation in RoR hydropower schemes also increases trash rack blockage and reduces energy output in the long-term. Damage occurs to all underwater parts that come into contact with sediment. The main concern is sediment passing through the hydropower intake and causing turbine damage. The reason for the abrasion and cavitation of turbine blades is increased sediment loads in river channels. This problem can be overcome in two ways. The first is the use of existing lakes or reservoir storage upstream as natural sand traps, and the second is by investigating the three features associated with river bend diversion, which are: the optimum diversion location in a river bend to minimise the abstraction of sediment, the optimum diversion structure angle to limit coarse sediment diversion, and the sediment load diverted through the intake. The first objective of the research was investigated by construction of a physical model of a curved river channel to determine the location of the deepest scour forming on the outside of the bend. The second objective was to test the diversion orientation to maximize the local scour and thereby limiting sediment diversion at the intake. A third objective was to compare mathematical 2D model simulated scour results with the findings of the laboratory tests to evaluate the reliability of the numerical model predictions. Finally different diverted discharge ratios were tested with different intake setups in the physical model, to evaluate the sediment load diverted. . The first experiment in the curved laboratory channel was to predict where the deepest scour takes place without a diversion structure. This was then followed by placing a diversion structure at the maximum scour position, retrieved from experiment one, and by angling the structure with reference to the flow direction. The flow direction vector was placed as a tangent to the bend and orientated at angles of 0⁰, 30⁰, 45⁰ and 60⁰ into the bend direction. The optimum diversion location was found to be positioned on the outside of the bend, approximately 60⁰ into the channel bend. The final position of maximum scour in a 90⁰ bend corresponds with the Sediment Committee and the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Societies (1992) prediction of 60⁰ into the bend. The optimal diversion had a 30⁰ angle to the flow direction, as this presented the most efficient and effective scouring in front of the model intake. Numerical simulations were performed with the CCHE 2D (hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics) modelling program. The numerical results were compared to the physical results to validate CCHE as a beneficial simulation tool. It was found that the numerical model predicted the scour depths at the intakes tested with an accuracy of 43.8%, which is within the accuracy range of the sediment transport equation used by the numerical model. The final experiment was the diversion of sediment with different intake level heights and discharges. It was evident from the results that low sediment diversion ratios were achieved with a diverted discharge ratio of 50% or less. The intake elevation highest above the channel bed diverted the least sediment. The interrelationship between Diverted Discharge Ratio (DDR), Diverted Froude number Ratio (DFrR) and Diverted Sediment load Ratio (SDR) was established in the study. It is recommended that RoR schemes have sand traps downstream of the diversion structures and that turbines are coated with HVOF to overcome the power loss arising due to the excessive erosion of hydro turbines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedimentasie en die invloed wat dit het op turbines was die primêre probleem geïdentifiseer in “run-of-river” (RoR) hidrokrag-skemas. Die sediment wat saam met die water uit ‟n rivier uitgekeer word beskadig die inlaatrooster en verlaag kragopwekking in die langtermyn. Skade word aangerig aan alle onderwatertoerusting en masjinerie wat aan sediment blootgestel word. Die grootste probleem tydens die uitkering van water is die growwe sediment wat daarmee deur die onttrekking inlaat gaan en turbineskade veroorsaak. Soos wat die sedimentlading in die rivier drasties toeneem, sal afslyting en kavitasie van turbinelemme meer gereeld voorkom. Dié probleem kan op twee maniere beperk word. Die een is die gebruik van bestaande opgaardamme stroomop, en die tweede is deur die ondersoek van drie kenmerke van rivierdraaie en uitkeringstrukture, bv. die optimale uitskurings posisie in 'n rivierdraai (sonder ʼn struktuur) om die diepste uitskuringposisie op die buitekant van die draai te bepaal, die optimale uitkeringsstruktuuroriëntasie wat maksimum uitskuring verseker en die sediment uitkering beperk, en die lading van sedimentonttrekking deur die inlaat. Die eerste doelwit van die navorsing is ondersoek deur ʼn fisiese model te bou van ʼn kronkelkanaal en te bepaal waar die diepste uitskring plaasvind op die buitekant van die draai. Die tweede doelwit van die studie was om die optimale uitkeringshoek te bepaal vir 'n uitkeringstruktuur sodat die uitskuring by die inlaat ʼn maksimum is om die uitkering van sediment te beperk. ʼn Derde doelwit was om die akkuraatheid van ʼn wiskundige model se uitskuring voorspelling te toets teen die waargenome laboratorium resultate. Die finale doelwit was om vir verskillende inlaatontwerpe, rivier- en uitkeervloeie die sedimentladings wat uitgekeer word te ondersoek. Die eerste eksperiment in die kronkelende kanaal was voorberei om die optimale uitskuring in die draai te bepaal. Dit is gevolg deur toetse met uitkeerstrukture by die maksimum uitskurings posisie te plaas en die hoek van die struktuur dan te verander met verwysing na die vloeirigting. Die vloeirigting vektor was as 'n raaklyn geplaas op die kanaal draai en georiënteer met hoeke: 0⁰, 30⁰, 45⁰ en 60⁰, in die rigting van die draai. Die optimale uitskurings posisie was aan die buiterand van die kanaal draai gevind, ongeveer 60⁰ in die draai in. Die maksimum uitskuur posisie van 'n 90⁰ kanaal draai stem ooreen met SC en CHES (1992) se resultaat van 60⁰ in die draai in. Daar was ook genoegsame bewyse dat 'n optimale uitkeerwerke oriëntasie van 30⁰ die doeltreffendste en effektiefste uitskuring sal gee. Numeriese simulasies is deur middel van 'n twee dimensionele wiskundige model CCHE 2D (hidro- en sedimentdinamika) uitgevoer. Die numeriese resultate was vergelyk met die laboratoriumresultate om die CCHE program te verifieer as 'n voordelige simulasie program. Daar is gevind dat die wiskundige model die uitskuurdieptes by die inlate met ʼn akkuraatheid van 43.8 % voorspel, wat binne die akkuraatheid is van die sedimentvervoervergelyking wat deur die numeriese model gebruik word. Die finale eksperiment was die uitkering van sediment met verskillende inlaathoogtes en uitkerings sedimentladings. Uit die toetse was dit duidelik dat 'n lae sediment uitkeerverhouding behaal kan word met 'n uitkeerverhouding van 50% en minder. Verdere waarnemings het ook gewys dat die inlaathoogte van die uitkeerstruktuur met die optimale resultate die hoogste bokant die rivierbedding was. Die verwantskap tussen die uitgekeerde deurstromingverhouding, die uitgekeerde Froude getal verhouding en die uitgekeerde sedimentlading is bepaal in die navorsing. Dit word aanbeveel dat sandvangkanale stroomaf van uitkeerwerke geplaas word en dat turbines met HVOF as bedekkingsmateriaal beskerm word om kragverliese as gevolg van buitensporige erosie van die turbines te voorkom.

Submitted by Geandra Rodrigues (geandrar@gmail.com) on 2018-01-11T13:48:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 rafaelmarquesalmeida.pdf: 19946334 bytes, checksum: 04590f964fc208ca84d1e9f1d2b976d4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2018-01-23T13:36:16Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 rafaelmarquesalmeida.pdf: 19946334 bytes, checksum: 04590f964fc208ca84d1e9f1d2b976d4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-23T13:36:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 rafaelmarquesalmeida.pdf: 19946334 bytes, checksum: 04590f964fc208ca84d1e9f1d2b976d4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-19 / CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / As mudanças climáticas e a fragmentação de rios para construção de usinas hidrelétricas são dois dos principais estressores que vem pressionando o bioma amazônico. Entender as respostas dos ecossistemas amazônicos à pressão desses estressores é fundamental para subsidiar estratégias futuras de desenvolvimento socioeconômico, e controle e mitigação de impactos socioambientais. Nesse contexto, essa tese aborda os efeitos hidrobiogeoquímicos de mudanças ambientais no rio Madeira – o maior tributário do rio Amazonas em termos de descarga de água e sedimentos. O primeiro capítulo investiga a relação entre cheias extremas e a emissão de gás carbônico (CO2) no rio Madeira. São apresentados resultados de nove campanhas executadas entre 2009 e 2011, complementados com resultados de uma campanha adicional executada em abril de 2014, representativa da maior cheia já registrada no rio Madeira. A emissão de CO2 no rio Madeira aumenta exponencialmente com o nível da água. Em 2014, a emissão de CO2 por unidade de área foi 50% maior do que a segunda maior taxa de emissão registrada no estudo. A reconstrução de fluxos de CO2 desde 1968 indicou que anos de cheia extrema emitem 20% mais CO2 por unidade de área do que em anos normais. O segundo e o terceiro capítulo abordam os efeitos hidrobiogeoquímicos a montante e a jusante ocasionados pela construção da Usina Hidrelétrica de Santo Antônio, uma usina a fio d’água recém-construída no rio Madeira. Grandes reservatórios de armazenamento geralmente retém a maior parte dos sedimentos aportados, mas o aprisionamento de sedimentos em reservatórios a fio d’água é pouco conhecido. Ao contrário das expectativas, as usinas do Madeira não afetaram o transporte a jusante de sedimentos em suspensão, carbono orgânico total, e nutrientes associados (fósforo, potássio, cálcio e magnésio) que são importantes para a produtividade do rio e de suas planícies inundáveis. Isso se deve provavelmente ao fato de que o baixo tempo de residência (média: 2,4 dias) e a elevada velocidade da água (média: 1,2 m/s) limitam a sedimentação de partículas, que são predominantemente finas e leves. Perfis verticais de temperatura demonstram que, ao contrário do canal central do rio Madeira, alguns tributários remansados desenvolveram estratificações térmicas ocasionais. As características da água dos tributários ficaram mais semelhantes às do rio Madeira. Por outro lado, as características gerais da água do rio Madeira na região do reservatório não foram alteradas. Os efeitos da Hidrelétrica de Santo Antônio no rio principal são pouco expressivos, mas os braços do reservatório formados na área remansada dos tributários são locais bastante suscetíveis a mudanças na qualidade da água. Os resultados encontrados nessa tese convergem para o fato de que alterações no nível da água – causadas por fenômenos naturais ou regulação artificial – afetam processos ecossistêmicos por meio de mudanças na conectividade com ecossistemas terrestres e de transição água-terra adjacentes. Os resultados desse trabalho têm implicações para a tomada de decisão e a gestão de reservatórios, particularmente considerando o grande número de hidrelétricas planejadas na Amazônia. / Climate change and river regulation for hydropower generation are two of the main stressors pressuring the Amazon biome. Understanding the responses of Amazonian ecosystems to these stressors is key to support future strategies of socioeconomic development, and control and mitigation of associated socioenvironmental impacts. This thesis investigates the hydrobiogeochemical effects of environmental changes on the Madeira River, the largest tributary to the Amazon in terms of water and sediment discharge. The first chapter investigates the relationship between extreme floods and carbon dioxide (CO2) outgassing from the Madeira River. We show data from 9 field campaigns performed between 2009 and 2011, complemented with data from one additional campaign in April 2014 that is representative of the largest flood on record. CO2 outgassing fit an exponential relationship with water level. CO2 outgassing per unit area in 2014 was 50% higher than the other highest rate in our dataset. Reconstruction of CO2 fluxes since 1968 indicates that extreme-flood years outgas 20% more CO2 per unit area than years without reported occurrence of extreme floods. The second and third chapters examine the upstream and downstream hydrobiogeochemical effects of the Santo Antônio dam, a run-of-river hydropower dam newly built on the Madeira River. Whereas storage dams typically retain most sediments, the extent to which modern run-of-river dams do so is uncertain. Contrary to expectations, the Madeira dams have not detectably affected downstream transport of total suspended sediments, total organic carbon, and associated nutrients (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) critical for downstream river and floodplain productivity. This is likely because the reservoir’s short residence time and rapid water velocity prevent substantial sedimentation of the predominantly fine-grained sediments. Temperature depth profiles demonstrate that unlike the mainstem, some backflooded tributaries periodically developed thermal stratification. The water chemistry in backflooded tributaries became more similar to that of the mainstem after damming. In contrast, the overall water chemistry in the mainstem did not significantly change. While the effects of this run-of-river dam design on the main river are minimal, lateral bays created by backflooded tributaries are more susceptible to changes in water chemistry. The results of the chapters of this thesis suggest that alterations in the water level and flow – caused either by natural phenomena or anthropogenic regulation – affect ecosystem processes through changes in the connectivity of aquatic systems with adjoining terrestrial and aquatic-terrestrial transition zone habitats. The findings of this thesis have implications for decision making and management, especially considering the large number of hydropower dams planned in the Amazon basin.

Les barrages au fil de l’eau devraient tripler dans la prochaine décennie en réponse à la transition mondiale vers les énergies renouvelables. Or, contrairement aux barrages à réservoir dont les impacts sur le cycle du mercure (Hg) sont bien connus, très peu d’études ont évalué l’impact des barrages au fil de l’eau sur la mobilisation et la transformation du Hg en méthylmercure (MeHg), une neurotoxine bioaccumulable et bioamplifiable le long de la chaîne trophique. Malgré la surface limitée d’inondations créée par ces petits ouvrages comparés aux barrages avec réservoirs, les retenues d’eau créées en amont pourraient tout de même contribuer à créer des conditions propices à la méthylation du Hg. Cette étude a été conduite sur la rivière St.Maurice (QC, Canada) présente dans un paysage soumis à la construction récente de deux barrages au fil de l’eau et de milieux humides artificiels et à la présence concomitante de perturbations du paysage: un feu de forêt et de la coupe de bois. Les résultats montrent une augmentation du pourcentage de méthylmercure (%MeHg) de 2 à 3 fois dans les zones inondées comparées aux sites références ou en aval des barrages. De plus, une augmentation des concentrations en mercure total (THg) et en matière organique (MO) est observée dans ces mêmes zones inondées soumises aux perturbations du paysage. Cela suggère que les feux de forêt et la coupe de bois auraient contribué au transfert de MO lié au Hg en provenance du bassin versant vers la rivière, comme indiqué par la corrélation positive entre le ratio C/N et le % MeHg. L’accumulation de MO et Hg dans les retenues d’eau créées par les barrages au fil de l’eau seraient alors des lieux propices à la stimulation de la communauté procaryotique méthylatrice dont le gène marqueur hgcA a été détecté à tous les sites avec une composition très diverse, dominée par les méthanogènes, les sulfato-réducteurs et les fermenteurs dans ce système. A la lumière de ces résultats, nous proposons que les futures études concernant les barrages au fil de l’eau intègrent le paysage dans son ensemble et établissent un suivi des concentrations de Hg avant, pendant et après la construction. / Run-of-river dams (RoRs) are expected to triple in the next decade in response to the global transition to renewable energy. However, unlike reservoir dams whose impacts on the mercury (Hg) cycle are well known, very few studies have evaluated the impact of RoRs on the mobilization and transformation of Hg into methylmercury (MeHg), a bioaccumulative and bioamplifiable neurotoxin along the trophic chain. Despite the limited area of flooding created by these small structures compared to reservoir dams, the pondages created upstream could still contribute to creating conditions conducive to the methylation of Hg. This study was carried out on the St. Maurice River (QC, Canada) located in a riverscape recently influenced by to the recent construction of two RoRs and artificial wetlands and to the concomitant presence of disturbances in the landscape. The results show an increase in the percentage of methylmercury (% MeHg) from 2 to 3 times in the flooded areas compared to the reference sites or downstream sites. In addition, an increase in total mercury (THg) and organic matter (MO) concentrations are observed in these same flooded areas subject to landscape disturbances: forest fire and logging. It suggests that forest fires and logging are contributing to the transfer of MO bound to Hg from the watershed to the river, as indicated by the positive correlation between the C / N ratio and % MeHg. The accumulation of MO and Hg in the pondages are likely favorable to the stimulation of the prokaryotic methylating community whose hgcA marker gene was detected at all sites with a very diverse composition, dominated by methanogens, sulfate-reducers and fermenters in this system. In the light of these results, we suggest that future studies on RoRs integrate the landscape as a whole and establish a monitoring of Hg concentrations before, during and after construction.

Submitted by Rosangela Silva (rosangela.silva3@unioeste.br) on 2018-06-25T14:39:55Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Douglas Ticiani Final.pdf: 15543424 bytes, checksum: 41d19b956e10c7116d923cf4330efe56 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-25T14:39:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Douglas Ticiani Final.pdf: 15543424 bytes, checksum: 41d19b956e10c7116d923cf4330efe56 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-06-11 / Run of River hydroelectric systems, beyond fragments aquatic environments, drastically reduced as flow discharges in the Reduced Flow Stretch (RDS). The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of TVR formation and environmental variables on composition and spatial distribution of eggs and larvae, in dams cascade operating with free threshold and under the Run of River system. Fortnightly nocturnal samplings were carried out between October/2016 and January/2017, in four points of influence area of the Rio das Antas Energy Complex, Patos Lagoon ecoregion. The ichthyoplankton was collected with conical-cylindrical networks, in three sections of the river and by a light trap per point. The eggs were quantified, while larvae were identified using the sequence regression development technique, framed in larval periods (larval yolk, pre-flexion, flexion and post-flexion) and juvenile. Were collected 5,681 eggs, 2,124 larvae and 43 juveniles, belonging to 25 taxonomic groups. Small species, sedentary and without parental care (small characids) had the highest total abundance and density. Significant spatial differences were identified in egg and larval densities, as well in the stages of ontogenic development, influenced by flow, temperature, pH and dam-free river stretch. The higher density of upstream larvae and the greater species richness downstream of the complex, indicate disruption in the natural processes of drift and the displacement of many species in the upstream direction. Higher flow rates positively influenced the use of RDS as spawning sites. / Hidrelétricas que desviam o rio, além de fragmentar os ambientes aquáticos, reduzem drasticamente as descargas de fluxo hídrico nos Trechos de Vazão Reduzida (TVRs). O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a influência da formação de TVR’s e das variáveis ambientais na composição e a distribuição espacial de ovos e larvas, em um complexo de barragens em sequência, que operam com soleira livre e sistema de desvio do rio e soleira livre. Foram realizadas amostragens quinzenais noturnas entre outubro/2016 e janeiro/2017, em quatro pontos na área de influência do Complexo Energético Rio das Antas, ecorregião Lagoa dos Patos. O ictioplâncton foi coletado com redes cônico-cilindricas, em três secções do rio e por uma armadilha luminosa por ponto. Os ovos foram quantificados, enquanto as larvas foram identificadas através da técnica de sequência regressiva de desenvolvimento, enquadradas em períodos larval (larval vitelino, pré-flexão, flexão e pós-flexão) e juvenil. Foram coletados 5.681 ovos, 2.124 larvas e 43 juvenis, pertencentes a 25 grupos taxonômicos. Espécies de pequeno porte, sedentárias e sem cuidado parental (pequenos caracídeos) foram as maiores contribuintes para a abundância e densidade totais. Foram identificadas significativas diferenças espaciais nas densidades de ovos e larvas, bem como nos estágios de desenvolvimento ontogênico, influenciadas pela vazão, temperatura, transparência, pH e trecho de rio livre. A maior densidade de larvas à montante e a maior riqueza de espécies a jusante do complexo, indicam interrupção nos processos naturais de deriva e dispersão de muitas espécies no sentido montante. Maiores vazões influenciaram positivamente a utilização dos TVRs como sítios de desova.