The project will focus on the effects of climate change for groundwater systems. CLIWAT aims to identify the challenges caused by the higher water levels and to develop climate scenarios focussing on surface water and water supply as well as the impacts of it on buildings. This will enable the North Sea Region to react more efficiently to the consequences of climate change.

The project will build on and improve existing geo-physical methods and these will be tested in the partner regions in order to be able to develop recommendations for the North Sea Region on how to deal with the consequences of increased groundwater levels.

Aim
To adapt to climate change, reduce risks and protect society and nature in a more extreme climate.

Technical investigations, modelling and prediction tools with focus on transboundary regions:

• Field investigations in pilot areas developing new techniques focusing on determining the effects of climate change on the quantity and quality of groundwater systems and ultimately surface water, wetlands and water supply for drinking water and irrigation. Existing data will be reused where possible.
• Develop and deliver new groundwater related geophysical methods.
• Modelling and prediction tools innovated on different scales for sustainable management of the environment in selected regions seen in relation to the Water Framework and Groundwater Directives and the associated guidelines.
• Analysing and defining areas of the region that are vulnerable to the forced leaching from point sources and agricultural sources in a new climate regime.
• Demonstrate how effects of different climate change scenarios will affect spatial planning and technical engineering in the North Sea region.

Responsiveness and adaptation:

• Establish and facilitate a working process in regional and transnational boards,
• Identification and elaboration of the challenges and solutions for engineering design of buildings, roads etc.,
• Active communication of the results of the project.

Background
Climate change simulations indicate that rainfall will increase in the North Sea region, however with significant seasonal variations. This will lead to higher groundwater levels (up to one meter), higher flux to rivers/coastal waters and a forced outwash of nutrients and pollutants from industrial areas, agriculture and landfills. Conditions for the design of roads, buildings etc. will change.

Climate change scenarios pose great challenges to adaptive transboundary spatial planning in the North Sea region as well as in other regions.

This project has a focus on "flooding" underneath the surface where groundwater levels may rise above or close to the surface. This aspect is not at present elaborated very much either on EU or national levels.

The results from this project will be used to predict how the future climate affects groundwater quantity and quality and hence societies in lowlands around the North Sea region and groundwater dependent ecosystems.

The CLIWAT project will initiate important cooperation on transboundary evaluation of the effect of different climate scenarios in the North Sea region and prediction tools, maps and visualisations on a public internet site in order to facilitate cooperation and increase public awareness and understanding of the expected changes.

• New geo- and hydrological tools for evaluation and demonstration of the effects of climate change scenarios for the North Sea region,
• Extend the knowledge in climate change impacts on the hydrological cycle with emphasis on groundwater influence on dependent aquatic ecosystems in the NSR,
• Transnational and regional management plan for groundwater protection, considering climate change,
• 2 and 3D geological models, visualisations,
• Maps of groundwater table scenarios, maps of flood risk areas,
• Handbook(s) with maps,
• Recommendations to better practice in spatial planning/urban development.