Last week, partners of the ClimASed project came together in Brussels for a productive working group meeting focused on advancing sediment management strategies under climate change.
The meeting started with an intensive review of the analysis of the current sediment management strategies and action plans across the Scheldt, Rhine and Shannon river basins. These results will form the foundation for the joint sediment management strategy and future action plans.
An important part of the day was also dedicated on the pilot site actions with onsite monitoring and modelling. Within these pilots we aim to define, test and take up solutions to evaluate how climate change impacts on 5 key challenges for sediment and river management:
- erosion of riverbanks and surrounding soils impacting sediment load,
- sediment transport from upstream to downstream in rivers,
- local sediment availability/budget (too much vs too little sediment) impacting local solutions,
- sediment quality impacting surrounding soils and drinking water with flood events,
- sediment solutions within the river system (e.g. wetlands, islands, intertidal floodplains) and suitability for sustainable habitats and ecology
Across all discussions, partners emphasised the importance of cross linking the strategic work with the pilot site monitoring and modelling outputs, as well as ensuring consistency between pilot site activities. With some clear milestones and deadlines, we will be well prepared for the upcoming project meeting in Koblenz in May.
