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Water Some hydro facilities divert or store water to produce electricity, later discharging it back to the watershed. Although water is returned to its natural setting, this “in-stream” use of water has environmental impacts. Reservoirs can significantly change river use and habitat downstream. For example, they can:
Not all impacts, however, are negative. Reservoirs, for example, provide habitat for lake fish and nesting and feeding areas for migratory birds and waterfowl. In addition, they are used for recreation. Fish and aquatic habitat The need to protect fish and aquatic habitat is increasingly important to Canadians, especially on our country’s east and west coasts, where fisheries have declined or disappeared. In inland regions, conserving local fish and their habitat is also becoming an issue, as a wide range of human activities put stress on regional ecosystems, including rivers and streams. In the case of hydroelectric generation, some fish species and aquatic habitats can be adversely affected through the creation of barriers and the modification of water flows.
 
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