Why this pilot site?
Intensive agriculture makes the catchment particularly vulnerable to soil erosion. Eroded soil is transported through the river network and reaches the Pommeroeul-Condé Canal, where sediment accumulates. This creates problems for navigation and contributes to high dredging costs. It also affects soil protection, mudflow occurrence and flood risk. Climate change may increase erosion in the future.
What do we want to achieve?
We research where sediment comes from, how it moves through the catchment and where it is deposited, under current and future climate conditions. These measures should help reduce soil erosion, mudflows, flood risk and the need for waterway dredging, while improving the resilience of the river system.
How will we do this?
The pilot monitors sediment in the Hogneau and its main tributaries. The monitoring data is used to estimate how much sediment reaches the canal and to calibrate models.
These models help to:
- identify sediment sources
- assess how climate change could influence future sediment
- analyse water flow
- research sediment pathways
- study the different factors contributing to sediment accumulation
