Hydropower Evaluation Software (HES)
US Department of Energy, Hydropower Program

"To assess the hydropower potential in any area of the United States from a national perspective, a uniform set of criteria was developed and a probability factor computer model, called Hydropower Evaluation Software (HES), was designed to standardize the assessment. HES is a menu-driven software application. HES offers the user of a personal computer the ability to factor in environmental attributes of a hydropower site to calculate a relative development suitability factor for a project. The software is intended to be as user-friendly as possible while still fulfilling its mission. It contains a report submenu with several reporting formats. In addition, experienced database users can customize their own report formats."

"The HES was developed as a tool for regional or state agencies to obtain regional or state totals and is not intended to provide definitive potential development factors for individual sites. Further, because the software was developed as a generic measurement tool encompassing national issues, the use of regional and state totals must be conducted judiciously; various local issues may skew hydropower potential totals. Employing HES as a national measurement tool will smooth any local anomalies." (DOE, 1999, http://www.inel.gov/national/hydropower/)

For more information on HES please visit the US DOE Hydropower Program's website at www.inel.gov/national/hydropower

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