Optimising and modernising existing hydroelectric power plants would also create the potential to run larger hydroelectric power plants in harmony with the environment. Implementing appropriate measures to compensate for the environmental impact of hydropower plants, such as creating separate waterways for fish (fish ladders), improving biodiversity in the plant’s storage reservoirs (by laying down rock beds, for example), reshaping riverbanks and regularly monitoring water quality, can systematically improve the ecological condition of bodies of water.

Natural solutions, such as using streams as diversions through hydropower plants, also make it easier for fish and other small creatures to move through the waters. Flow velocities can be reduced by laying down stones or plastic bristles, which also provide fish with places to hide and rest.