ABSTRACT

Since climate change will certainly increase global air temperature, considerable regional impacts on the availability of water resources will occur concerning quantity and seasonality [1]. This will affect all kinds of water users, water suppliers and water management structures. Hydropower has in total a large proportion of the world’s energy production, which comprised 15% of the world’s total electric energy generation in 2008 [2] following the fossil energy resources carbon, mineral oil and natural gas. In regions with high precipitation rates and steep elevation gradients, like the European Alps, hydropower represents the main electric energy supply.