The response to minimize impacts of altered flow regimes has been the design of environmental flows, also called compensation flows.   Setting of environmental flows requires a sound understanding of ecosystem function. There should be a consultative process to establish the environmental and social values to be protected, and hence the environmental flow objectives.  

Managed flow regimes to enhance environmental or social values can comprise maintenance of a minimum flow in the river, capping of maximum flow releases, constraints on draw-down or ramp-up rates, and periodic flushing flows.  Agreed environmental flow regimes may include some or all of these considerations, and may be specified for year-round or by season.  In some cases agreements have been reached where particular operating rules are not established for the power scheme to follow, but rather a bulk annual allocation of water is set aside for ecosystem requirements, and decisions on the pattern of delivery of this water is made by an independent scientific and stakeholder reference committee.

By utilizing a good process of establishing environmental flow objectives, it may be possible to find ways to address these objectives without significant loss of generating potential.  Downstream regulating ponds and other engineering solutions may provide cost-effective alternatives to environmental flow releases directly from power stations, and construction of smaller off-stream storages can be considered to deliver minimum flows to address particular local issues. 

It is essential to have a rigorous and credible monitoring program pre- and post- delivery of environmental flows.  There should be agreement on where the benefits or otherwise will be measured, and the indicators of success.