The main objective of EnviPump is to analyse the effects on physical and biological conditions in hydropower reservoirs with pumped storage, as well as to find effective mitigation measures. The sub-objectives are:
- To investigate how hydro-physical conditions in reservoirs change through the introduction of pumped hydropower and develop methods for impact assesment in planning pumped hydropower systems (SO 1)
- To develop operational guidelines for avoiding unsafe ice conditions in pumped hydropower reservoirs (SO 2)
- To understand and parametrise the key ecological impacts on fish populations of hydro-physical variations in reservoirs and quantify how these efects are expected to change following the introduction of pumped hydropower systems (SO 3)
- To investigate and compare regulatory framework and practival implementation of pumped hydropower legislation in Norway to selected countries (SO 4)
- To identify potential mitigation measures and strategies to improve abiotic and biotic conditions in reservoirs where pumped hydropower is introduced (SO 5)
EnviPump combines field observations, remote sensing, and numerical modelling to study how pumped storage operations influence physical conditions, ice formation, and ecological processes in regulated reservoirs. Changes in water dynamics are analysed alongside impacts on fish behaviour, growth, and population development, drawing on both monitoring data and advanced modelling tools. The project also compares regulatory frameworks and practical implementation of pumped storage hydropower across selected countries. By integrating natural sciences, regulatory analysis, and stakeholder input, EnviPump develops operational guidelines and mitigation strategies aimed at supporting environmentally responsible pumped storage hydropower in Norway.
Read more on the Research Council of Norway's pages: Environmental impacts and mitigation measures for pumped storage hydropower in Norwegian reservoirs