Moscoso Marín, Luz BibianaMontealegre Torres, Jorge Luis2016-02-222016-02-2220132256-3903http://hdl.handle.net/10567/1423Small hydroelectric power plants are included among the clean energy production sources, and they are attractive as a business. Besides, in force regulations give them environmental licenses and make a soft control. Also, there are tax and financial advantages and flexibility for them. As a consequence, if many of those plants accumulate in a watershed or are established with not enough precautions, the biological characteristics of the place can be severely affected. Objective. The effect was assessed and the transformation of the vegetation with a diameter equal or above 10 centimeters at the height of human chest was estimated, with the hydroelectric plants installed in the town of Sonsón, following Conesa´s model and another one proposed by the authors. Methodology. The assessment of the impacts was performed with both models and the structure, composition and the diversity of the vegetation around the small hydroelectric power plants before the facilities were installed, were determined. Results. The highest impact found was the removal of the topsoil to adequateworkshops, entrances of tunnels, temporary accesses, machinery rooms and other constructions, and this soil cannot be recovered. The effects are irreversible, accumulative and persistent over time. Conclusion. With the model developed from the revision and collection of data from other small hydroelectric power plants with similar conditions, both environmental and in terms of the size of their construction processes, a very precise estimation of their impacts on the flora was achieved.esCorporación Universitaria LasallistaFacultad de IngenieríasArticle