Hydropower infrastructure, when managed responsibly, helps to protect communities from floods and drought. Water management is a major challenge for society, especially in developing economies and climate stressed regions. This means balancing energy and water supply requirements alongside environmental, social and economic priorities for all river basin users.

Hydropower infrastructure can play an important role in providing water supply and irrigation to support agriculture and local livelihoods, as well as offering drought mitigation and flood control.

Hydropower’s freshwater services can be impacted by sedimentation, caused by natural erosion, deforestation, construction and agriculture. A range of freshwater and sediment management strategies can be deployed to protect the ecosystems that a river system supports.