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.
Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume (LLUR)
SeeConsult GmbH
Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
The Netherlands
Geological Survey of the Netherlands / Deltares
VITENS (SME)
Provincie Fryslan
Wetterskip Fryslan
Belgium
Ghent University
Background and Aim
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.
Expected Outcomes
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.
October 2010 - March 2011
The outline and content of the CLIWAT handbook have been further refined in consultation with Region Midtjylland and other project partners. Results will be made available with the next report. The major results from the technical part of the project, including groundwater modelling, will be presented in a special issue of the international Journal HESS.
The project activities contribute to the Implementation of the EU Water Framework and Groundwater Directives. GEUS participates in the EU Working Group C on groundwater of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS). In the next period GEUS will in cooperation with their Dutch sister organisation TNO, which is also part of CLIWAT, organise a workshop on groundwater and Climate Change in Poland during the Polish EU presidency. This will be an opportunity to disseminate results from the CLIWAT project to all EU countries.
The final conference has been moved to January 2012 due to the extension of the project.
April - September 2010
Core activities for this reporting round included the application of groundwater and integrated hydrological models for assessment of the hydrological impacts of different climate scenarios with focus on water table fluctuations, river discharge, delineation of flood risk areas and saltwater intrusion.
The hydrological scenario simulations (still subject for continuous development) are based on output from existing climate models and geological and geophysical measurements and modelling of the subsurface partly conducted in the project pilots.
Finally, the project continues to provide the data for development of adaptive measures and new standards for e.g. engineering of drainage and sewer systems, dikes, roads and buildings, and for quantitative and chemical status assessments of groundwater and the aquatic environment according to EU directives.
October 2009 - March 2010
During the period from October 1st 2009 to March 31th 2010 the main focus has been on field work, innovative measures, national and transnational stakeholder involvement, dissemination: The field work in the seven pilot areas has been continued. In some pilots the field work has been finished. The field work includes geophysical surveys, drillings, water sampling, etc. The large amount of data collected in the previous period has been processed and interpretation started. The interpretation of the data shows good results in relation to data quality and the further use. The data collected is incorporated into models to give a better understanding of the hydrological system's physical and chemical conditions.
In addition, development of databases and the design of the shared geological 3D model are evolving as planned and will be used in other WPs, especially WP 5 (Geological modelling) and WP 6 (Hydrological and climate scenario modelling).
The further development of the boards in each of the four countries and the final preparation of the transnational board meeting in Copenhagen gave an overview on different national approaches to adapt to climate changes. Most urgent and needed demands for policies and measures with focus on groundwater were identified. Furthermore it was discussed which adaptation needs identified could be supported by CLIWAT results. Ideas were exchanged transnational and new information was acquired which can be helpful further in the project.
April - September 2009
During the period from 1st of April to 30th September 2009, the main focus has been on 5 elements: 1. Field work in the selected pilot areas and data analysis of the collected and existing data; 2. Working with the stakeholders in the four countries and holding board meetings; 3. Building up concepts; 4. Disseminating project aims and goals and 5. Innovative measures
The main results so far is the developed concepts for geological 3D models and hydrological models for transboundary project areas. The geological 3D models of the areas are now under construction, including different concepts for interpolation and interpretation of geological and geophysical data. A plan and a method for collecting project data have been evolved. The work has been accomplished in WP 2 (Transboundary case studies) and will be used in the other WPs, especially WP 5 (Geological modelling) and WP6 (Hydrological and climate scenario modelling).
The project will focus on determining the effects of climate change on groundwater systems, especially on surface water and water supply, and how the North Sea Region manages these changes. The project will also evaluate in which areas there is a need for new legislation or new standards for engineering of drainage.
Furthermore, the project will include investigations on the forced leaching from point sources and agricultural sources into the hydrological system (including rivers and lakes). Final recommendations towards the actions that need to be taken due to climate change in groundwater systems will be presented towards the end of the project.
During the first seven months of the CLIWAT project, the main focus has been on three elements:
Field work in the selected pilot areas and collecting existing data;
Analysing the relevant stakeholders to be included in the project and holding board meetings;
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