As developing countries search for energy sources to support their economic growth, hydropower is increasingly considered an attractive option. But the development of this hydropower potential has created new challenges – and opportunities – for scientists working to conserve the world’s freshwater ecosystems. In Honduras, the decision to build a hydropower dam on the Patuca River has fueled a collaborative effort between The Nature Conservancy and the national electric energy utility to promote the sustainable management of the river for the benefit of both nature and the indigenous communities that rely on this ecosystem.