Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx

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Journal of Cleaner Production

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Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on

hydrological characteristics of watercourses regarding the
hydropower potential of rivers

ski*, Agnieszka Operacz, Andrzej Wałe˛ ga
Dariusz Młyn
Department of Sanitary Engineering and Water Management, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059, Krakow, Poland

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The paper analyses selected problems with the estimation of environmental flows (EF) in the aspect of
Received 7 June 2019 hydroelectric potential of rivers. The study was conducted for mountain catchments located in the upper
Received in revised form Vistula catchment in Poland: Mszanka, Poroniec, Grajcarek, Ochotnica, and Kamienica Nawojowska. The
27 November 2019
data for calculations, in the form of observational series of daily flows in the years 1985-2014, were
Accepted 30 November 2019
obtained from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management of the National Research Institute in
Available online xxx
Warsaw. Based on the data, environmental flows were calculated as 25% Mean Annual Flow (MAF), 70%
Handling editor; Kathleen Aviso Median Flow, Q90, 7Q10, 7Q2, and additionally with the Eflows Management Framework and Upscaling
method (EMFU). The calculations made it possible to indicate the main problems related to the calcu-
Keywords: lation of environmental flows using hydrological methods: selection of the appropriate characteristic
Environmental flows flow, the method of determining guaranteed flows, selection of appropriate statistical distributions or
Hydrological methods sensitivity of environmental flows to the length of the observation series for which they are esteemed. In
Hydroelectric potential of rivers addition, the paper showed that the choice of method for calculating the environmental flow influences
the volume of electricity production in hydroelectric plants. For watercourses not covered by specific
forms of protection, the compromise between environmental protection and investment economics
seems to be calculating the EF value by 25% MAF or Q90. It was also found that it is optimal to maintain
the value of EF (from the point of view of caring caring for the aquatic environment) along with choosing
the economically justified options.
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction aquatic organisms. One of such devices is hydropower plants (HPP).

One of the most important principles related to protection of
water resources is to ensure optimal living conditions for aquatic
organisms, and this fact has best been reflected in many European
Directives and national legal acts. Being closely related to hydro-
logical regime, there is a need to provide a whole spectrum of
variations in hydrological conditions (water levels and flows) to
ensure the ability to maintain full life cycle of organisms (Poff and
Zimmerman, 2010; Zingraff-Hamed et al., 2018). These re-
quirements are usually met in the case of natural watercourses with
no significant human impact observed in the catchments. The
problem is with the catchments with hydrological regime hy-
draulics structures that may adversely affect the living conditions of
* Corresponding author.

ski).
E-mail address: dariusz.mlynski@urk.edu.pl (D. Młyn
Wiatkowski and Tomczyk (2018) conducted studies on the impact
of hydropower plants on the morphology of watercourse in several

˛ za
cross-sections in Odra, Bystrzyca, and Sle _ rivers. In these sections,
the condition of the sections below the hydropower plants changes
compared to that of the sections above (the hydromorphological
status of the sections below is worse than that of the sections above
the hydropower plants). At present, production of electricity from
natural watercourses requires damming water of watercourse to
obtain energy head. The universally used water turbines can work
only with water damming. The hydrotechnical structure accom-
panying hydropower plant interferes with the flow and blocks the
passageway for migrating aquatic organisms. Therefore, as a
compensating measure, involving construction of fish passes that
enable migration of organisms along the river, in particular of the
bi-environmental fish spawning in the source sections. Water flow
in the fish pass is an idle, non-manageable flow. Nevertheless, it is
extremely important for the environment. Environmental impacts

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
0959-6526/© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
2
ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn
of hydropower production mainly relate to the type and location of
the plant. Reservoir hydropower plants usually have greater im-
pacts than run-of-the river type plants (Sokka et al., 2016). In case
of derivative power plants, there is an obligation to maintain intact
flow in the main duct, which is idle water in this case. According to
the report (Benítez Sanz and Schmidt, 2012), in many parts of the
EU there are no requirements for the existing facilities to maintain
ecological flow. There are still several gaps and limitations in the
current process, in respect of power generation expansion plan-
ning, and the environmental impact assessment (Andrade and
Santos, 2015). Production of electricity from hydropower leads to
several environmental impacts that, in only some instances, have
been analysed from an economic valuation approach. Moreover, as
environmental impacts largely depend on the specific character-
istics of the case study, benefit transfer techniques are inadequate
for valuation (Botelho et al., 2017).
The basic idea of environmental flow (EF) is to maintain the
quantity, quality, and duration of the flow sufficient to ensure
optimal habitat conditions for aquatic organisms. In practice, the
design of a fish pass or the main duct (depending on the type of
power plant: weir or derivative, respectively) usually runs a volume
of water corresponding to its size. Environmental flows are
considered within the context of the EU Water Framework Direc-
tive (WFD) as “a hydrological regime consistent with the achieve-
ment of the environmental objectives of the WFD in natural surface
water bodies as mentioned in Article 4(1)”. In other words,
ecological flow could be understood to mean such volume of water
that can use up disposable resources in a given cross-section
without damaging water ecosystems and dependent waters.
In practice, many methods are used to determine such charac-
teristics, which can be grouped into four basic types: hydrological,
hydraulic, habitat, and environmental (Tharme, 2003). Hydrologi-
cal methods are considered the simplest and easiest to use in
calculating EF. They account for about 30% of all the methods in use.
Clearly, there is a natural increase in the interest in the practical
application of more advanced methods based on, for example,
modelling of aquatic ecosystems (Parasiewicz, 2007; Piniewski
et al., 2011). However, these methods require very detailed infor-
mation on the riverbed characteristics and habitat conditions, and
these are often difficult to identify.
Yet, as Caissie et al. (2015) reported, currently there are no truly
scientifically defensible environmental flow assessment methods,
since the methods used are based on common sense rather than on
scientific proof and validation. Consequently, the commonly used
hydrological methods are as credible as any other methods, pro-
vided that they are applied correctly using the best available in-
formation and good judgement. Hydrological methods are mainly
applicable in planning of studies (Operacz et al., 2018). In the hy-
drological methods, the value of EF depends on the given charac-
teristic flow (Caissie et al., 2015).
Flow characteristics are relatively easy to determine provided
the time series of daily average flows are available. The current
strong impact of human activities on surface water and ground-
water leads to disruption of flows (especially low flows). Human
impact on water affects the natural hydrological regime of water-
courses. In reference to this, the question arises as to whether the
hydrological methods of assessment of environmental flow could
give rise to proper flows meeting the requirements of the habitats.
There is also the problem of accuracy in determining low flows
from stage-discharge curve. Measurements of flow for low stage
can be affected by errors. In the low-state zone, the flow rate curve
is often extrapolated due to lack of measurement data. This is
another problem with practical use of hydrological methods. Thus,
the potential values are overestimated or estimated at the
maximum acceptable level, while the proposed energy use does

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
not take into consideration the actual requirements for protection
of the water environment.
Studies on the estimation of hydropower potential of rivers
usually contain a numerical estimation of three values: theoretical,
technical, and economic potential. In this study, the sensitivity of
hydrological methods for calculating environmental flows against
the background of assumed flow characteristics is analysed. This
made it possible to show the relationship between the values of
environmental flows and the energy potential of rivers. Previous
studies related to analysis of environmental flows determined by
hydrological methods had focused mainly on considerations
related to values alone. However, no assessments were made as to
how these flows would shape the disposable resources for indi-
vidual water users, in particular for hydropower plants. In addition,
the originality of the conducted research consists in presenting the
main problems regarding the estimation of EF flows using hydro-
logical methods.
The following research hypotheses were put forward: 1) values
of environmental flow are sensitive to discharge characteristics, 2)
assumed flow characteristics are sensitive to the conditions under
which calculations are made, 3) selection of EF calculation method
generates the estimated annual production of electricity from hy-
dropower power plant, 4) there is a risk of choosing the most
economically, but environmentally risky method, 5) in case of weir
power plants, all-year EF values are preferred, 6) for derivative
power plants, the seasonality of EF may make it possible to increase
electricity production.
2. Study area characteristic
The study was carried out on five catchments located in the
upper Vistula catchment, an area located in the south-eastern part
of Poland. The selected area of the country is characterized by the
largest water resources in Poland, a rich river network, as well as
good topographic conditions (including relatively high river heads),
which create optimal conditions for implementation of hydro-
power plants. Hydropower power stations have historically been
located in this area, and a dozen or so new ones are being
considered. On the other hand, rivers located in this area are
characterized by high ecological potential. The features and prop-
erties listed above constituted the main reasons for choosing this
catchment for the analysis. The study covered the following
mountain catchments (river e cross-section): Mszanka-Mszana
Dolna, Poroniec-Poronin, Grajcarek-Szczawnica, Ochotnica-
Tylmanowa, and Kamienica Nawojowska-Nowy Sa˛ cz. The location
of the study catchments is presented in Fig. 1. Table 1 presents the
values of the selected physiographic and meteorological charac-
teristics of the catchments: A - catchment area, L - length of the
watercourse to the cross-section, D e density of the river network,
Hmean - average catchment height, Smean - average catchment slope,
N - soil impermeability index, P - ordinary annual rainfall.
3. Methodology
The study involved the following elements: statistical verifica-
tion of hydrological data, environmental flow calculation, calcula-
tions of hydropower potential of rivers.
3.1. Statistical verification of hydrological data
The average daily flows from observations at water gauge sta-
tions covering the catchment areas of the above rivers constituted
basis of hydrological analyses. The data were obtained from the
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management of the National
Research Institute in Warsaw and covered the period 1985e2014.

ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn 3

Fig. 1. Location of the catchment study area and land use.

Table 1
Selected physiographic characteristics of the analysed catchments.

River A [km2] L [km] D [km$km2] Hmean [m a.a.s.l.] Smean N [%] P [mm]

[ ‰]

Mszanka 174.0 14.4 0.75 807 64.2 81 944

Poroniec 78.4 13.0 3.02 1138 26.6 84 1603
Grajcarek 72.8 9.6 2.54 795 33.6 78 833
Ochotnica 106.4 22.8 2.52 800 33.0 79 834
Kamienica Nawojowska 237.7 26.0 0.69 673 54.6 82 901

Statistical verification of the mean annual flow (MAF) was carried equation:
out using the Mann-Kendall test for the significance of the trend.
The null hypothesis, H0, of this is that there is no monotonic trend in SesgnðSÞ
the data series, while the alternative H1 stipulates that such a trend Z¼ (3)
exists. The calculations were made for the significance level
VarðSÞ1=2
a ¼ 0.05, in relation to median flows (Qmed). Mann-Kendall’s sta-
where:
tistics are based on the equation (Blain, 2015):

X
n1 X Var(S) e variance S, determined from the equation:
n  
S¼ sgn xj exk (1)
k¼1 j¼kþ1 1
VarðSÞ ¼ ,ðn , ðne1Þ , ð2 , n þ 5ÞÞ (4)
18
where:
The main assumption of the MK test used is the lack of auto-
8  
1 for xj exk > 0 correlation in a data series, which in turn leads to an underesti-
  <  
sgn xj  xk ¼ 0 for xj exk ¼ 0 (2) mation of the variance Var(S). Therefore, an adjustment for variance
:  
1 for xj exk < 0 correction is included, calculated only for data with significant
partial autocorrelation (Pingale et al., 2016):
where:
n
Var * ðSÞ ¼ VarðSÞ (5)
n e the number of elements of the time series. n*s

Based on normalized statistics Z calculated according to the where:

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
4
ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn
n*s - the effective number of observations counted as:
X
n1
n 2
¼1 þ , ðn  kÞðn  k  1Þðn  k  2Þrk
*
ns nðn  1Þðn  2Þ
k¼1
where:
k e shift;
rk e the value of the next significant autocorrelation factor.
3.2. Environmental flow calculation
The environmental flows were determined using the following
hydrological methods: 25% of the average multi-year flow (MAF),
70% median flow (Qmed) - the daily average flow median, guaranteed
flow 90% (Q90) - the flow that exceeds 90% of the time (including
higher flows), and minimum average 7-day flows with a 10-year
recurrence interval (7Q10) and 7-day low flow with a 2-year
recurrence interval (7Q2). The methods of determining environ-
mental flows based on MAF assume that the conditions of the water
environment in rivers with similar MAF flow rates are similar. In
practice, various parts of the MAF flow are accepted as an envi-
ronmental flow, e.g. 25% MAF (El-Jabi and Caissie, 2019). Environ-
mental flows adopted on the basis of Qmed assume that they are best
placed to protect aquatic fauna and flora in the river system (Caissie
et al., 2007). Environmental flows calculated as Q90 are determined
on the basis of flow time curves (Kanclerz et al., 2018). As reported
by Pastor et al., [2014], this flow represents optimal water and
habitat conditions. The flows 7Q10 and 7Q2 represent low flows,
which are one of the measures most frequently used to determine
environmental flows (Yasi and Ashori, 2017). These characteristics
are determined on the basis of probability distributions of a random
variable. According to Sarhadi and Soltani (2013), one of the most
commonly used distributions for estimating 7Q10 and 7Q2 is the
Gumbel distribution, hence this type of probability function has
been employed in this work. The density function f(x, m, b) and the
cumulative distribution function of the distribution F(x, m, b) are
described by the following equations (Gorgoso-Varela and Rojo-
Alboreca, 2014):
   x  m
1 xm
f ðx; m; bÞ ¼ exp  þ exp 
b b b
h  x  mi
Fðx; m; bÞ ¼ exp  exp 
b
where:
x e random variable;
m e location parameter;
b e scale parameter.
This work evaluates the influence of the length of observation
series on the value of environmental flows. For the analysis, n ¼ 30
years of lengths of hydrometric observation period was taken,
shortened every two years, until the minimum length of 10 years
was reached. For each observation series obtained, numbering
successively 30; 28 … 10 years, values of environmental flows were
determined using hydrological methods. The dependence of the
values of environmental flows on the length of the measurement
strings was subsequently determined using the Pearson correlation
coefficient rX,Y for the analysed variables (Costa, 2017):

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
Pn
i¼1 ðxi  xÞ$ðyi  yÞ
rXY qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi (9)
Pn 2 Pn 2
i¼1 ðxi  xÞ $ i¼1 ðyi  yÞ
where:
(6)
xi, yi e values of individual variables
The statistical significance of the Pearson correlation coefficient
was determined based on the test statistic, which for the signifi-
cance level a ¼ 0.05 and the number of degrees of freedom df ¼ 8 is
0.63.
A complement to the conducted study was the determination of
environmental flows using the Eflows Management Framework
and Upscaling (EMFU) method. This method assumes that the
environmental flow provides sufficient habitat area for specific fish
communities. In this method, the environmental flow is deter-
mined for individual bioperiods. The calculations were made using
the formulas (Pusłowska-Tyszewska and Tyszewski, 2018):
EMFU ¼ pb $ MLFb [m3$s1]; for gauged catchments (10)
EMFU ¼ p $ MLF [m3$s1]; for ungauged catchments (11)
where:
pb, p e the value of the coefficient for gauged and ungauged
catchments, depending on the ichthyology type of the river and
bioperiod [-],
MLFb e medium flow low in a given bioperiod [m3$s1].
3.3. Hydropower potential of rivers
The theoretical hydropower potential (HP) is usually understood
as that which is generally available without taking into account the
technical possibility of acquisition, environmental or economic
constraints. The efficiency of the whole power plant (including
turbo-set, electro-energetic equipment etc.) is assumed as theo-
retically 100%. (Izadyar et al., 2016). The theoretical potential Ath is
defined as the potential equal to the sum of energy obtainable for a
particular section of the river according to the formula:
Ath ¼ 8760 Pa [kWh] (12)
(7)
where:
(8) 8760 e the number of hours in the year,
Pa - the average river section power [kW], expressed with the
formula (BHA, 2012; Karolewski, Ligocki, 2004):
Pa ¼ g $ h · r · MAF · Hg [kWh] (13)
where:
g - the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m s2),
h - the hydraulic efficiency of the power plant [for theoretical
assesment h ¼ 1 (theoretical 100% efficiency)],
r - the density of water [assumed as 1000 kg m3],MAF e mean
annual flow [m3∙s1],
Hg e gross head of the river section [m].
The technical potential is understood as the potential that may
be acquired from dams and HPPs when their erection is technically

ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn
possible. Renewable energy technical potential represents the
achievable energy generation of a particular technology given
system performance, topographic limitations, environmental, and
land-use constraints. The technical potential results from many
limitations and losses, most important of which are as follows
(Operacz, 2017; Operacz and Grahl-Madsen, 2018):
 Non-uniformity of natural flows in time (the need to take
flooding periods into consideration, when impoundage must be
reduced, and the periods when the flow is too low to run the
turbines). This results in reducing the number of hours of
operation of hydropower plant during the year to a more real-
istic value of 6720 h on the average, i.e. 280 days during the year,
which corresponds to a typical curve of sums of durations of
flows, where there is no electricity generation in case of both
high flows (the need to reduce impoundment and free water
flow) and low flows (below the turbine operation possibility)
(Fig. 2). For the specific location, the curve of mean flow dura-
tions is most optimum;
 Efficiency characteristics of the equipment used. Introduction
of 80% efficiency for the whole HP has been deemed sufficient.
The performance of the turbo unit in the specific location highly
depends on turbine flow. Fig. 3 shows the efficiency of the tur-
bine vs flow for the run-of-river hydropower stations, which
supports the thesis that turbine efficiency may not achieve high
values due of natural large flow fluctuations;
 The necessity of ensuring the environmental flow EF (in the
main riverbed for derivative power plants or in fish-pass). The
necessity to maintain the minimum environmental flow as a
factor of significant environmental impact has priority over
management or economic criteria. It means the volume of water
that should be left in the river to ensure the environmental
equilibrium should not be disturbed. Thus, it is the volume of
water that cannot be used for energy generation purposes. The
efficiency of the power plant is assumed as 80% based on usually
observed losses of energy. Finally, the technical potential of the
river is calculated from the formula:
Atech ¼ 6720 $ Pt [kWh] (14)
where:
6720 e the number of hours in 280 days,
Pt e the average river section power [kW], expressed with the
formula:
Fig. 2. Typical period of electricity generation in HPP against the background of the
flow duration curve.

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
5
Fig. 3. Example of turbine efficiency curve in the function of flow (on the basis on
Steller, 2010).
P ¼ g $ h · r · Qd $ H [kWh] (15)
where:
g - the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m s2),
h - the hydraulic efficiency of the power plant [for technical
assesment h ¼ 0,8 (theoretical 80% efficiency)],
r - the density of water [assumed as 1000 kg m3],
H e head [m];
Qd e available flow after factoring in the environmental flow EF:
Qd ¼ MAF e EF [m3∙s1] (16)
The economic potential is very specific and strongly dependent
on the financial position of prospective investors (own free finan-
cial resources, creditworthiness, etc). However, the forecast annual
achievable production of electricity is always the basis for esti-
mating investment profitability. Assessment of the economic po-
tential based on investor’s individual financial standing (as shown
above) and market rules and prices (highly variable in many
countries) have been omitted in this paper. Only the impact of
environmental flows on the available flow was considered. Ac-
cording to the formula (16), the value of EF translates directly into
Qd, and the hydropower production volume is, in accordance with
formulas (14) and (15), directly proportional to the energy-efficient
disposable flows.
4. Results and discussion
The conducted study was divided into two main parts: the hy-
drological analysis and the analysis connected with hydropotential
of rivers. The first part included verification of hydrological data,
environmental flow calculation using the hydrologic methods and
the sensitivity analysis for hydrology methods in respect of the
flows values. In the second part, ananalysis for impact of choosing
the environmental flow calculation method on the production of
electricity was conducted.
4.1. Verification of hydrological data
As part of statistical data verification, the significance of MAF
flow trends for research catchments was assessed using the Mann-
Kendall (MK) test. The results of the analysis are summarized in
Table 2.
Based on the results summarized in Table 2, it was found that for
the analysed multi-year there are no significant statistical trends of
MAF flows in the analysed catchments. In case of the Ochotnica and
the Kamienica Nawojowska catchments, the effective number of
6
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D. Młyn

Table 2
Results of the trend significance analysis for MAF flows with the MK test.

River Zc pc Var(S)c n/n* Z p Var(S)

Mszanka 1.160 0.246 3140.666 1.000 1.160 0.246 3140.666

Poroniec 0.963 0.335 3141.667 1.000 0.963 0.335 3141.667
Grajcarek 1.196 0.232 3138.667 1.000 1.196 0.232 3138.667
Kamienica Nawojowska 0.733 0.463 2149.990 0.684 0.607 0.544 3141.667
Ochotnica 1.707 0.088 1644.526 0.524 1.231 0.218 3140.666

Zc - standardized statistics of the MK test after adjustment for autocorrelation; pc - test probability after adjustment for autocorrelations; Var (S) c variance from the sample
after adjustment for autocorrelation; n/n* - effective number of observations; Z standardized statistics of the MMK test; Var(S) - variance from the sample.

observations n/n* is different from 1.000, hence it can be concluded
that for these time series there were some significant autocorre-
lations between particular variables. Lack of statistically significant
trends means that the analysed random variables come from the
same general population. Thus, in the analysed multi-year, there
was no factor significantly affecting the range of processes shaping
the average flows. The obtained results can be linked to the results
concerning the analysis of trends of factors, significantly affecting
the outflow of waters in the catchments of the upper Vistula
catchment. Research carried out by Nied
zwied
z et al. (2014)
showed no significant trends regarding the indicators character-
izing daily rainfall variability. Analyses by Falarz (2002) confirmed
the lack of significant trends for period of snow cover in moun-
tainous catchments. The supply of rivers in the Upper Vistula water
region is mainly from snow melting and rain waters, hence it is
assumed the rhythm of the flow of effluents is repeated by mean
flows. However, taking into account future climate projections that
the future climate will significantly alter in streamflow conditions,
it will be important for migration and spawning of northern pike
(Esox lucius), chub (Squalius cephalus), and Atlantic salmon (Salmo
salar) in the Vistula and Odra catchments (Kundzewicz et al., 2018).
4.2. Environmental flow calculations
Environmental flows for the analysed catchments and rivers
were determined using the following hydrological methods: 25%
MAF, 70% Qmed, Q90, 7Q2 and 7Q10. The results are summarized in
Table 3.
Based on the results summarized in Table 3, it was found that
the difference between the lowest and the highest EF were as fol-
lows: for the Mszanka river, 58%; as for Poroniec river, this remai-
nedat 54%; Grajcarek, 49%; Kamienica Nawojowska, 55%; for
Ochotnica river, 47%. From the results, it can be concluded that the
differences between EF determined by the analysed methods are
similar to each other, but at a high level. It should be emphasized
that the upper Vistula river catchment, where the analysed catch-
ments are located, is an area characterized by widely progressing
anthropopressure, manifested mainly in the change of use of the
catchment area, which also affects the water management of such
areas (Wojkowski et al., 2019). In addition, human impact is also
reflected in the significant number of surface water intakes, water
discharges, and hydraulic engineering, which affects especially the
course of low waters represented by flows of the analysed
environmental flows (Kuriqi et al., 2019). These factors can signif-
icantly shape the differences between the EF values obtained
through the methods used. After further analysis, it can be seen that
the highest values of EF flows come from the 70% Qmed method, the
lowest from 7Q2. Only in case of the Poroniec river, the highest
value of EF flows was obtained with the 7Q10 method and the
lowest as Q90 flow.
The next stage in the analysis of the values of environmental
flows was their interpretation as unit outflows (q). The values of
these characteristics have been presented in Fig. 4. Based on the
achieved results, it is possible to conclude that the most stable
course of unit outflows determined for environmental flows was
obtained for the outflow calculated with reference to the flow of
7Q2. For the analysed catchments, the difference between the
lowest and the highest value with this method is 68%. In turn, the
highest differences for unit outflows determined in relation to EF
flows were demonstrated for the 25% MAF flow. The difference
between the lowest and the highest unit outflow for the studied
catchments with this method was 79%. Differences above 70% were
also demonstrated for the 70% Qmed and 7Q10 methods. However,
for the 7Q2 method, the difference was 69%. The highest values of
unit outflows q were characteristic for the Kamienica Nawojowska
(where the unit outflow was calculated for MAF, Qmed and Q90) and
Poroniec (where the unit outflow was calculated for the EF flow
determined by the statistical method) rivers. The lowest unit
outflow was obtained for the Ochotnica river, with each of the
analysed methods.
In the next stage of the research, an analysis was conducted of
the relationship between the length in years for which hydrometric
observations were carried out and the determined values of envi-
ronmental flows. The results of the analysis are presented in Fig. 5.
Analysing the results illustrated in Fig. 5, it can be concluded
that the length of many hydrometric observations affects the values
of environmental flows. This is confirmed by statistically significant
values of correlation coefficients r, for most of the analysed
methods. For the Mszanka river, positive values of correlation co-
efficients r for all methods have been demonstrated, which means
that along with the prolonged number of observations, the value of
EF flows systematically increased. Only for 7Q2 flows, the correla-
tion turned out to be insignificant. In case of the Poroniec and
Grajcarek rivers, the opposite situation was observed, reflecting the
negative values of correlation coefficients r for all analysed
methods. This means that along the values of environmental flows

Table 3
Summary of EF flow values determined with the analysed hydrological methods.

River 25% MAF [m3∙s1] 70% Qmed [m3∙s1] Q90 [m3∙s1] 7Q10 [m3∙s1] 7Q2 [m3∙s1]

Mszanka 0.810 1.204 0.680 0.881 0.502

Poroniec 0.426 0.742 0.400 0.864 0.417
Grajcarek 0.305 0.553 0.320 0.464 0.283
Kamienica Nawojowska 0.910 1.225 0.680 0.845 0.546
Ochotnica 0.430 0.770 0.470 0.634 0.409

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
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D. Młyn 7

Fig. 4. Unit outflows q determined in relation to EF flows calculated with the methods analysed.

Fig. 5. Values of correlation coefficients determined for the relationship between the values of environmental flows and the length of years for which they were determined.

decrease with the prolonged age. For the Poroniec river, statistically
insignificant results of the correlation coefficient r were recorded
for the 25% MAF and 70% Qmed methods, whereas for Grajcarek river
it was for the 70% Qmed and 7Q10 methods. In the case of the
Kamienica Nawojowska and Ochotnica rivers, both positive and
negative values of correlation coefficients were obtained. For the
Kamienica Nawojowska river, a positive correlation was found be-
tween the long-term and flow rates of 70% Qmed, Q90 and 7Q2. In
other cases, the correlation was negative. Lack of statistical signif-
icance of the analysed factor was noted only for flows determined
on the basis of statistical methods. For the Ochotnica river, a
negative correlation with the length of many years showed only
environmental flows, calculated using the statistical method.
However, the lack of statistical significance was demonstrated only
for the correlation calculated with reference to the 7Q10 method.
Establishing the value of environmental flows by the analysed
hydrological methods carries with it specific problems. EF flows
calculated as 25% MAF can be primarily characterized by high
sensitivity to the impact of extreme flows, which though may occur
sporadically, due to its size, causes significant overestimation or
underestimation of median flows. This problem is mainly related to
mountainous catchments, which, due to their geological structure,

ski
are characterized by high sensitivity to rapid precipitation (Młyn
et al., 2019). As a result, there are short-term high waters in which
the inflow inflates average flows. In addition, the value of MAF
flows can be misleading when daily flows assume a two- or multi-
modal distribution. EF flows determined on the basis of median
(70% Qmed) are also subject to certain limitations. Median values are
independent of extremely high or low flows. In the event that such
flows persist for a longer period of time, the median flow may not
be a reliable characteristic of central tendencies. According to
Caissie et al. (2015) the 70% Qmed approach has limited applications,
mainly in case of large rivers or small rivers with a good baseflow
component. In the case of determining environmental flows as
guaranteed flows, a problem arises due to the choice of the meth-
odology to determine the flow duration curve. Flow values may
vary depending on whether they were determined on the basis of
mean annual time curves or on the basis of a perennial curve

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
8
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D. Młyn

Fig. 6. Differences between guaranteed flows determined on the basis of mean yearly duration curves (Qp,y) and long-term curves (Qp,m).

(Fig. 6). Based on the values summarized in Fig. 6, it can be Table 4

concluded that in the analysed multi-year period, the differences Summary of EF values determined with the EMFU method.

for Q90 flows determined on the basis of the analysed curves are as River type of catchment EF values in bioperiods
follows: for Mszanka 0.060 m3 s1, for Poroniec 0.088 m3 s1, for [m3$s1]
the river Grajcarek 0.034 m3 s1, for the Kamienica Nawojowska III-VI VII-IX X-XII I-II
River 0.068 m3 s1 and for the Ochotnica River 0.056 m3 s1.
Mszanka gauged 0.944 0.512 0.148 0.661
Assuming a daily water usage per person on average at 100 dm3, ungauged 1.475 0.707 0.882 1.141
the flow volume equal to 0.001 m3 s1 can meet the water needs of Poroniec gauged 0.593 0.482 0.093 0.355
864 people a day. Therefore, the obtained differences should be ungauged 0.996 0.478 0.596 0.770
considered significant, especially concerning planning the water- Grajcarek gauged 0.506 0.291 0.072 0.268
ungauged 0.734 0.352 0.439 0.568
shed management plans. Similar results were obtained by Kamienica Nawojowska gauged 0.575 0.270 0.074 0.293
We˛glarczyk in his paper (2014), where he also pointed to significant ungauged 1.407 0.675 0.842 1.088
differences between individual quantiles of guaranteed flows in the Ochotnica gauged 0.714 0.394 0.103 0.425
upper Vistula catchment. In addition, it showed that usually ungauged 1.054 0.505 0.630 0.815
perennial curves underestimate the average value of flows.
In case of environmental flows determined by statistical
methods, usually two or three parameter distributions of extreme In rivers where there are no salmonids, feeding bioperiod lasts from
values are used (Grandry et al., 2013; Caissie et al., 2015). There is July to October, there is no autumn spawning season, and winter
no indication of one particular distribution, giving rise to the begins in November. The values of the parameters (pb and p) were
problem of selecting the best-fit theoretical distribution for the determined on the basis of analyses in the MESOHABSIM model
estimation of 7Q10 and 7Q2. The assumption of a unique form of (Parasiewicz et al., 2013) on selected reference sections of rivers
probability distribution is an inappropriate approach, as it indicates that were included in the pilot study. The results of the research
the invariance of mechanisms shaping the size of low flows. It carried out on reference rivers was taken as reference for four types
should be emphasized, however, that currently there is no theory of ichthyological rivers (IeIV), from among six ones found in Poland
explicitly indicating the choice of a particular probability distribu- (KZGW, 2018), while for one ichthyologic type (III) no parameter
tion function for a given situation. Hence, to a lesser or greater values were determined for those streams with spawning of sal-
extent, this function is arbitrarily adopted. As a consequence, monids. (Pusłowska-Tyszewska and Tyszewski, 2018).
different values of flows 7Q10 and 7Q2 can be obtained based on Based on the results summarized in Table 4, it was found that
the same empirical data but using different probability higher values of EF flows calculated using the EMFU method were
distributions. mostly obtained for cases when catchments are treated as unga-
A complement to the conducted research was the determination uged. For the III-IV bioperiod, on average, these flows were higher
of environmental flows using the Eflows Management Framework by 40%, in the VII-IX period by 25%, in the X-XII months by 85% and
and Upscaling (EMFU) method. The results of calculations are pre- for the I-II season by 54%. This indicates that there may be
sented in Table 4. reasonable doubts regarding the application of the EMFU method
In the EMFU method, the ichthyological types defined for the in estimation of environmental flows. This method was developed
needs of estimating environmental flows in the EMFU method on the basis of hydro-biological information from seven catch-
include the following: I e mountain and upland rivers and streams, ments (Parasiewicz et al., 2018). Considering the local nature of the
II e flysch rivers, III e lowland streams, IV e lowland rivers. In turn, relationship between the flow rate and the surface of habitats of
bioperiods designated during the year are as follows: a) spring aquatic organisms, the values of flows required should not be
spawning (MarcheJune), b) feeding (JulyeSeptember), c) autumn transferred to cross-sections not covered by field studies. In addi-
spawning (OctobereDecember), d) wintering (JanuaryeFebruary). tion, the verification of this dependence to calculate EF flows in

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527

ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn 9

Atech acc. (14) with EF based

on EMFU (ungauged)

417647

219651

157262

469208

221714
100

100

100

100

100
based on EMFU (gauged)
Atech acc. (14) with EF

Fig. 7. Flow errors depending on the flow - the water gauge Pyskowice in the Drama
river: source
(KZGW, 2018).
216597

101812

287953

103710
74124
52

46

47

61

47

ungauged catchments showed high differences in flows for gauged

Atech acc. (14) with

caters. This fact may give rise to justified doubts as to the quality of
EF based on 7Q2

p and pb coefficients. Additionally, the analysed method points to

the need use indirect methods to determine mean low flow MLF in
186615

221106
66451

59806

85911

ungauged catchments. Currently in Poland, there are no guidelines

for indicating a specific indirect method for estimating MLF in
45

30

38

47

39

ungauged catchments. Therefore, the obtained results may not

Atech acc. (14) with
EF based on 7Q10

reflect the real demand for water by the natural environment. In

the proposed method, the environmental flow depends on the MLF
flow. There should be serious deliberation on whether the method
202516

103157

234159

proposed by the authors of this hydrological characteristic is

71197

98885

correct.
48

47

45

50

45

In summary, if the described method made it possible to

Atech acc. (14) with

determine EF values on similar values in a gauged and ungauged

EF based on Q90

catchment, it would mean that it is stable and not sensitive to data

availability. It has to be remembered that it would be misleading if
161064

191045

the EF value shall be determined by whether or not a catchment is

76102

52765

75152

gauged.
39

35

34

41

34
Summary of differences of the production of annual electricity from the sample HPP in analysed rivers.

The current strong pressure on surface and groundwater dis-

EF based on 70% Qmed

rupts flows (especially low). The work of retention reservoirs,

Atech acc. (14) with

dammed lakes, metastasis, surface and underground water intakes,

sewage discharges (including mine water) as well as morphological
transformations, i.e. maintenance and hydrotechnical works, affect
the natural hydrological regime of watercourses. Additionally, flow
192232

101100

215964

102049
72384

naturalization is troublesome and in many cases impossible to

46

46

46

46

46

implement. There is also the problem of accuracy of determining

EF based on 25% MAF

low flows from the flow rate curve. Measurements in the low-level
Atech acc. (14) with

zone can be as skewed as in case of high flows. In the low-state

zone, flow rate curve is often extrapolated due to lack of mea-
surements. An example illustrating the above statements is the
errors flow rate curve plotted for the Pyskowice section on the
417647

219651

157262

469208

221714

Drama river (Fig. 7). The percentage error of the flow rate curve for
100

100

100

100

100

the analysed case is 11.0%. As can be seen, low states zone often
[kWh]

[kWh]

[kWh]

[kWh]

[kWh]

account for largest measurement errors. Flow errors calculated

from the flow rate curve for a curve valid for a given period from
flows measured in relation to water and flow states add up. This
electricity production

electricity production

electricity production

electricity production

electricity production

may be caused by various factors, i.e. change in the location of the

% of production

% of production

% of production

% of production

% of production

bottom of the watercourse, process of overgrowing of beds (during

the growing season), or freezing (in winter). Difficulties in extrap-
olating the curve directly affect the values read from it, which
constitute the basis for calculating daily flows and thus flow char-
acteristics - including MLF.
Thus, greater low flow (LF) variation can lead to the calculation
Nawojowska

of MLF flows ‘plagued with the risk of larger accidental errors (the
Kamienica

Ochotnica
Grajcarek

average value is very sensitive to outliers). Stable Qmed values could

Poroniec
Mszanka

suggest that these flows may have less variability in the region,
Table 5

which may be more appropriate for the regionalization of

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
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watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
10
ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn
characteristic flows and the search for an analogous sub-catchment
for calculating environmental flows in ungauged catchments. An
important issue seems to be the variability of MLF or MAF flows
depending on the length of the multi-year values used in the cal-
culations. The reasons are seen in the previous statement: MLF
flows are more sensitive to outliers because LF flows are highly
prone to accidental errors even if resulting from incorrect extrap-
olation of the flow rate curve in the low-state zone. In the case of
MAF flows, the low values of daily average flows and errors con-
nected with them can be eliminated by higher flows corresponding
to the zone of medium states for which the flow curve has smaller
errors. It should be remembered that not all water gauges are
characterized by long series of observations. Thus, if the charac-
teristic flows show stability (small variability) regardless of the
length of the measurement train, this is advantageous from the
point of view of hydrological calculations. It should be remembered
that establishing an environmental flow at too high a level is safe
and desirable for biological reasons, although it contributes to a
barrier preventing socio-economic development related to the
reduction of disposable water resources (Wałe˛ ga et al., 2015). When
using hydrological methods to determine EF, it is necessary to refer
the results to the requirements of the aquatic environment, mainly
regarding the dominant organism. Finally, the EF flow value should
correspond to such hydrological characteristics at which survival
conditions for the dominant aquatic organism are ensured. The
_
studies described in Ksia˛ zek et al. (2019) constitute an example of
combining hydrological methods with the requirements of aquatic
organisms when determining the EF value.
4.3. The impact of choosing the EF calculation method on the
production of electricity
In this work, the above advanced methods of calculating the
value of EF was included in the calculation of the technical potential
for each of the considered rivers. In order to be able to compare the
obtained results, calculations were carried out for theoretical
hydrotechnical constructions with the same parameters, i.e. in
particular with the same nominal slope of 1.5 m.
The calculations were done using formulas (12) and (13) in the
case of not anticipating for the need to leave EF in the watercourse
and thereby avoiding the obligation to preserve habitats and spe-
cies from dependent waters. Formulas (14) and (15) were used for
calculations under the conditions of different EF values substituted
for formula (16) for individual analysed rivers according to their
values listed in Table 3 using the following hydrological methods:
25% MAF, 70% Qmed, Q90, 7Q2, and 7Q10.
Analysis of the obtained results indicates that failure to take into
account the need to maintain the welfare of aquatic organisms, by
omitting EF in the calculations, may result in more than twice the
estimated value of the expected production of electricity. If EF is
considered, the choice of the method generates differences of a few
dozen per cent (maximum 20% for the Kamienica Nawojowska
river), which from the point of view of the investment economy
may turn out to be crucial. Therefore, selection of an optimal
method for determining the value of EF becomes extremely
important, both from the point of view of profitability of in-
vestments and care for environmental care. The 70% Qmed method
generates each time the highest EF results and thus the lowest
electricity production (except for the Poroniec stream), which
would justify its use for watercourses important for bi-
environmental fish. Thus, determining the highest possible EF
would indicate the environmental awareness of the potential
investor. Nevertheless, electricity production from a renewable
source, energy of the river current, which is reduced by more than a
dozen per cent, should have economic justification. It should easily

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
translate into longer period of investment return acceptable to the
investor. It seems that for the rivers that do not constitute impor-
tant corridors for migrating aquatic organisms, the methods of
adopting one of the other methods not excessively limiting the
production of green energy would be optimal.
Fig. 8 shows the differences in the calculated amount of
potentially produced electricity in a hydropower plant broken
down into the EF estimation methods described above. The pre-
sented % is a reference to the theoretical potential (not including EF)
adopted as 100% (see Table 5).
The E-flows Management Framework and Upscaling (EMFU)
method was used as the means of introducing the variability of EF
values throughout the year. This method is used in securing water
law permit and the water management instructions on the site;
there 4 different EF values in force at different seasons during the
year. The total yearly value of annual electricity production for the
analysed rivers is summarized in Table 6.
A variant of the ungauged catchment for the EMFU method al-
ways results in a lower value of the hydropower potential
expressed in the annual production of electricity (even by 12%). It
would seem that the difference in the size of hydropower potential
should not depend on whether or not a river is gauged, but should
be determined by its nature and environmental conditions.
Therefore, due to differences in both environmental flows and hy-
dropower potential in the variant of gauged and ungauged catch-
ment, this is a factor that raises questions as to the practical
application of the EMFU method.
Analysis of Fig. 8 indicates that the biggest discrepancy between
calculation results of the analysed rivers was obtained in EF cal-
culations using the 7Q10 and 7Q2 methods. The values obtained are
strongly dependent on the rivers’ method of calculating the envi-
ronmental flow. The other methods give results in the range of a
few percentage differences. When the above five first methods of
EF calculation were used, a value valid for the whole year was ob-
tained., Reference to the types of power plants most commonly
encountered in the construction of natural watercourses is
extremely justified from the point of view of the practical possi-
bility of maintaining the environmental flow. In design practice,
from the point of view of the real possibility of maintaining the
inviolable flow, the EF value that is invariably valid throughout the
year seems universal for each type of hydropower (reservoir, flow,
including: friendly and derivative (Fig. 9).
Determining one full-year value seems necessary especially in
cases where EF is run through a pass, since the efficiency of the fish
pass is determined by the flow of water that causes the attractant
stream for the fish at its outlet. Flow control with unchanging de-
vice structure (overflows) may result in loss of its basic effective-
ness for fish migration. In case of derivative power plants, the EMFU
method of estimating EF, taking into consideration the annual
seasonality, could be used because it is potentially practicable. It is
technically possible to control the value of EF left in the river’s main
channel by water management devices for the derivation on which
the hydropower power plant is installed (weir with the possibility
of controlling the damming heights or latches, discounts, etc.).
Nevertheless, analysis of the estimated annual production shows
that the use of the EMFU for ungauged catchments method does not
give the expected profit in the form of production volume opti-
mization. The decision on the choice of the EMFU for gauged
catchments method seems feasible and economically justified
(high value of annual production); however, the investor must
comply with the obligation to control the required EF size in the
main channel. In the case of a potential water law permit, 4
different EF values are approved in 4 breakdowns per year, which
must be strictly observed. It is also necessary to install water level
depth gauge board (e.g. a gauge patch, steel bolts) in which the 4

ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn 11

Fig. 8. Differences in annual electricity production from selected rivers for selected EF estimation methods.

Table 6
Comparison of the HPP hydrotechnical potential value, including EF determined using the EMFU method.

River type of catchment total electricity production [kWh] % share in relation to Ath without EF

Mszanka gauged 209649 50

ungauged 170945 41
Poroniec gauged 103110 47
ungauged 77143 35
Grajcarek gauged 72456 46
ungauged 54024 34
Kamienica Nawojowska gauged 262124 56
ungauged 206504 44
Ochotnica gauged 101805 46
ungauged 75080 34

Fig. 9. Basic types of hydropower power plants on rivers.

levels and the corresponding periods are clearly marked, as a 5. Summary

practical tool to comply with the permit conditions.
The authors of this publication express the opinion that it is
optimal to maintain the value of EF (from the point of view of caring
for the aquatic environment) along with choosing the economically
justified option (realized through discussion of results according to
different EF calculation methods).
The aim of the work was to analyse sensitivity of the methods
used in calculating environmental flows based on hydrological
characteristics of watercourses in computing the Hydropower Po-
tential of Rivers. The calculations showed no trends for MAF flows
in research catchments. In most cases, the highest values of EF flows
were obtained with the 70% Qmed method with the lowest values

ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527
12
ski et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production xxx (xxxx) xxx
D. Młyn
being attained when these flows were referred to as 7Q2. For the
research catchment, the unit’s outflow counted with reference to
the 7Q2 flow was characterized by the highest stability, while the
smallest unit outflow counted for the 25% MAF flow was charac-
terized by the highest outflow. The calculations also showed that in
most cases the values of environmental flows are susceptible to the
length of the observation series for which they are calculated, to
sensitivity to outliers in the observation series, to the selection of an
appropriate method in determining the course of curves of flow
times, and to the selection of an appropriate probability distribu-
tion of random variables for flows estimated by statistical methods.
In the case of the EMFU method, reasonable doubts have been
raised regarding its use in ungauged catchments.
While assessing the impact of the choice of EF calculation
method on electricity production from a renewable energy source,
it was found that the failure to accommodate idle EF in the
watercourse (for the vast majority of hydropower power plants)
results in double overestimation of electricity production. The
choice of EF calculation method generates differences in green
energy production of up to 20%. For derivative power plants, it is
permissible to specify EF according to the EMFU method intro-
ducing seasonal variation. It is then necessary to analyse the impact
of this variability on the requirements of specific organisms living
in the river. It is optimal to maintain the value of EF along with
choosing the economically justified variant (realized through dis-
cussion of results according to different EF calculation methods).
The practical application of appropriate EF calculation method
and its mandatory inclusion in estimation of hydropower plant
production will safeguard against overestimation of resources from
this renewable source. Unfortunately, more often in forecasting
studies, the values provided for potential electricity production for
flowing watercourses are unduly optimistic, as they do not take
into account the need to preserve biological life in the watercourse.
Therefore, the awareness of the importance of EF in the aspect of
maintaining sustainable development and selection of the appro-
priate calculation method should form the basis for conducting all
considerations, both at the stage of considering the individual
location of HPP, as well as for strategic studies. In the light of ob-
tained results, future studies will be primarily focused on solving
the problem of determining the volume of characteristic flows,
which constitute the basis for calculating environmental flows, in
ungauged catchments. The studies will focus especially on low
flows, which play the most important role in determining the value
of available resources. Moreover, the low flows show the greatest
sensitivity to anthropopressure in the catchment. It has also been
shown in the paper that EF values are sensitive to hydrological data.
Therefore, future studies will also include uncertainty analyzes in
EF calculations and calculations of the hydroelectric potential of
rivers will factor in this uncertainty.
Author contribution
Dariusz Młyn
ski: Conceptualization; Data curation; Formal
analysis; Investigation; Methodology; Project administration;
Writing - original draft; Writing e review
Agnieszka Operacz: Conceptualization; Formal analysis;
Investigation; Methodology; Writing - original draft; Writing e
review
Andrzej Wałe˛ ga: Conceptualization; Formal analysis; Investi-
gation; Methodology; Supervision; Writing - original draft; Writing
e review
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ski, D et al., Sensitivity of methods for calculating environmental flows based on hydrological characteristics of
Please cite this article as: Młyn
watercourses regarding the hydropower potential of rivers, Journal of Cleaner Production, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119527