Water and sediment resources in reservoirs

Reservoirs play an important role in hydropower development. It is, however, difficult to maintain water reservoirs in river basins with sever sediment transport. Up to now, large dam projects have been the only alternative which provides required regulation capacity in sediment loaded rivers. River transported sediments should not only be regarded as a problem, sediments are a resource which could be harvested in connection with river regulation projects. New approaches to hydropower development in river basins with sever sediment load must facilitate sediment bypass of the dam. Presuming appropriate means for sediment bypass are developed, there is a considerable potential for developing environmental and economical sound hydropower projects which will provide desired regulation capacity within power systems.