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Over the past 70 years, Russia has built approximately 190 large hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) with a capacity of over 100 MW, as well as thousands of small HPPs with a capacity of up to 30 MW. These structures provide over 17% of the country's electricity, but the price for electricity is radically altering the lives of millions of fish. Dams block migration routes, turn rivers into lakes, disrupt spawning cycles, and create new "artificial" ecosystems where fish are forced to adapt or disappear. In this article, we'll examine real-life examples from various regions of Russia: from the Volga to the Yenisei, from the Angara to the Amur. We'll also show why the Putorana Plateau is the only large region of the country where taimen, grayling, and lenok still live according to the laws of nature, without a single dam in sight.
1. The Volga: from a free river to a "cascade" of artificial seas
The Volga-Kama cascade is the largest example: 11 major hydroelectric power plants (from the Rybinsk hydroelectric power station in 1936 to the Volzhskaya hydroelectric power station in 1961) dammed the river for over 2,000 kilometers. Until the 1930s, the Volga was a lifeline for sturgeon: beluga, sturgeon, and stellate sturgeon migrated from the Caspian Sea to Tver to spawn, a journey of 2,500 kilometers. After the dams were built, this migration stopped.
Effects on fish:
- Sturgeon have become "dwarfs": The average weight of beluga sturgeon has dropped from 80-120 kg to 10-15 kg—spawning in the upper pool is impossible, and the fry are dying in the turbines (up to 90% loss). The population has declined by a factor of 20-30.
- Bream and pike-perch have "restructured": In the Kuibyshev and Volgograd reservoirs, the fish have switched to a "lake" mode—feeding according to the release schedule, with winter kills due to stagnant water. Pike-perch have grown to 15–20 kg, but have become sluggish and less active.
- Introducing "outsiders": Silver carp and grass carp, introduced in the 1950s, have displaced native species—they thrive in standing water but destroy algae and benthic ecosystems.
Today, the Volga's bite depends on peak discharges: the river is shallow in the morning, and flooding in the evening. The fish "learn" this rhythm, but they lose their natural strength and migrations.
2. Angara: a "ladder" for Baikal sturgeon and "lake" grayling
The Angara Cascade (Irkutsk Hydroelectric Power Station in 1956, Bratsk in 1967, Ust-Ilimsk in 1977, Boguchanskaya in 2014) is a "wave" of four dams that blocked the flow of Lake Baikal. Previously, sturgeon, whitefish, and grayling freely migrated upstream for spawning, up to 1,000 km.
Behavioral changes:
- Sturgeon on the brink: Baikal sturgeon have lost 95% of their spawning grounds—the population has dwindled to less than 1,000 adults. The fish are "stuck" in the tailwaters, and spawning in captivity yields a survival rate of less than 10%.
- Grayling and whitefish "split": In the Bratsk Reservoir (5,500 km²), grayling became a "lake" species—growing to 2 kg, but losing speed and color. Migration ceased, and the populations genetically diverged into "Baikal" and "Angara" populations.
- A new predator—the rotan: In standing water, this invasive species has become a monster (up to 1 kg), devouring the eggs of native fish. Pike-perch have adapted—they've grown larger, but they only feed during periods of fish discharge.
In winter, under the ice, there is mass death from hypoxia: without a current, oxygen drops to 2–3 mg/l.
3. Yenisei: Krasnoyarsk Hydroelectric Power Station and "Dead" Mileage
The Krasnoyarsk Hydroelectric Power Station (1967–1972), a monster with a 124-meter dam, flooded 2,000 square kilometers and raised the river's water level by 100 meters. The river from Krasnoyarsk to Igara (1,500 km) lost its natural rhythm.
Effects on fish:
- Taimen and lenok are "locked in": 80% of spawning tributaries are flooded, reducing migrations by five to seven times. In the Krasnoyarsk Sea, taimen have become "lake-dwelling" fish—slower but larger (up to 25 kg), but the population has fallen by 60%.
- Nelma and muksun are "not coming in": These Arctic species have stopped swimming above the dam—their stocks have shrunk by a factor of 15. The fish are "stuck" in the downstream pool, and spawning in artificial conditions yields <20% survival.
- Grayling has been "rebuilt": In the reservoir it has grown to 2+ kg, but has become sedentary - it feeds on the discharges, and there are freezes in winter.
The discharges (up to 7 m/h) create an "artificial flood" - the fish have adapted, but are losing strength.
4. Amur: Chinese and Russian dams mean the end of migrations
On the Amur, there's a combo: Chinese hydroelectric power plants on the main riverbed (since the 2010s) plus Zeyskaya (1978) and Bureya (2010) in Russia. Migration from the Sea of Okhotsk to Khabarovsk (3,000 km) has been interrupted.
Changes:
- Kaluga and Amur sturgeon are "dying out": Kaluga (up to 1,000 kg) are not rising to spawn—the last case was in 2019. Sturgeon numbers have declined by a factor of 30, and fry are dying in turbines (70–90%).
- Yellow-cheeked and skygazer "dwarfs": In reservoirs they have become smaller (2-3 times), sedentary - they feed heavily in stagnant water, but the populations have divided.
- Invasives are thriving: Grass carp are displacing natives by breeding in flooded floodplains.
5. Small hydroelectric power plants: the "silent" genocide of small rivers
Since the 2010s, over 500 small hydroelectric power plants have been commissioned in Russia (in Altai, the Caucasus, and Karelia). They capture 70–90% of the water in their pipes, leaving a "release" of 200–500 liters per second.
Examples:
- Cherek (Kabardino-Balkaria): Trout and grayling have disappeared within 3-5 years - the river is "dry", spawning is impossible.
- Belaya (Adygea): Grayling has decreased by 10 times, lenok has become a rarity.
- Tributaries of the Katun (Altai): Dozens of small hydroelectric power stations have turned the rivers into a chain of puddles - migration is zero, fish kills are annual.
Small hydroelectric power plants are an "invisible" threat: without large reservoirs, but with the complete destruction of ecosystems.
6. Putorana Plateau: a bastion of a wild river without dams
The Putorana Plateau (250,000 km²) is the only large region in Russia without dams on key rivers (the Yerachimo, Anadyakan, Severnaya, Nimde, Tutonchana, Muisma, and Sukhaya Tunguska). Here, taimen migrate 200–400 km, grayling spawn in tributaries, and lenok hunt in rapids—just like 500 years ago.
Why is the fish here "wild":
- Freedom of migration: No barriers – taimen weighing 30–50 kg move from lakes to the ocean.
- Natural hydrological cycle: Spring flood, summer low water - feeding frenzy and spawning according to nature.
- High trophy density: 10–50 times higher than on dammed rivers – Yerachimo produces an average catch of 18–28 kg per week.
The Putorana Plateau is a reminder: without dams, fish remain strong, large, and numerous.
Conclusion
Dams in Russia have upended fish life: migrations have stopped, spawning has become artificial, and ecosystems have become "lake-like." Dwarf sturgeon, sedentary grayling, and taimen are trapped—the price of 17% of energy. But the Putorana Plateau offers an alternative: 250,000 square kilometers of pristine rivers, where taimen weighing over 40 kg are the norm, not the exception. This is not only a fishing paradise, but also a lesson: energy development shouldn't cost the extinction of entire species. As long as the Putorana Plateau remains free of concrete, Russia has a chance to preserve authentic river life. Come to Yerachimo or Anadyakan and see how fish thrive without human "help."
