A tidal power scheme will reduce the tidal range in the basin it encloses and will therefore reduce the volume of water entering and leaving the basin during each tide, the tidal 'cubature'. These fundamental changes will have quite profound effects on the environment in its broadest sense. Predicting the changes in tidal range is relatively straightforward. Predicting the consequential changes in water quality and then on through the ecosystem, and then assessing their importance, is much more difficult. Separately, assessing the effects of building a barrage and its subsequent operation on the human environment is largely a qualitative exercise. In this chapter, an attempt is made to describe the various changes and set them in perspective.

Inspec keywords: tidal power stations; water quality; environmental factors; dams

Other keywords: tidal cubature; environmental Aspects; water quality; basin; tidal power scheme; ecosystem; barrage; human environment

Subjects: Tidal power stations and plants