Abstract

Thermal pollution is the addition of heat to water bodies by human activities, particularly by thermal electricity generating stations. This heat raises water temperatures, which can affect aquatic life in many ways, including survival, growth, activity, reproduction, and community composition. Many of these effects are sufficiently understood to indicate thermal limits for aquatic-life protection. Efforts to control high temperatures can lead to other risks related to water use (eg, physical effects of entrainment and impingement or several effects of closed-cycle cooling), resulting in a need to balance risks. There are potential beneficial uses of waste heat, ranging from heating buildings to warm-water agriculture and aquaculture. With adequate planning, the location and design of power stations can maximize benefits and minimize ecological risks.