Definitions for "Run-of-river"
This describes hydropower facilities that do not have storage or the associated flood control capacity; run-of-river facilities essentially pass through as much water as they have coming in, either through the turbines or over the spillways.
A hydroelectric project that has limited regulation capacity (usually limited storage capacity) and operates primarily for hydropower generation. The majority of the major dams in the Columbia Basin are run-of-river projects: Chief Joseph, Wells, Rocky Reach, Rock Island, Wanapum, Priest Rapids, Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, Ice Harbor, McNary, The Dalles, Bonneville, and Hells Canyon. In CRiSP.1, Chief Joseph and Hells Canyon dams are defined as storage reservoirs (see definition).
Hydroelectric power that has a low environmental footprint and usually refers to plants that have little or no water storage in a head-pond. Refers to plants where naturally flowing water is used to generate electricity while it continues to flow downstream, and where the use of storage is limited to 48 hours or less.