Sediments, ecosystem services and interrelation with floods and droughts in the AT-CZ border region
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Abstract
The Thaya River forms the border between AT and CZ,and both countries profit from its use (e.g. energy production, recreation, fisheries). But the use leads to negative impacts on the river system such as channelization and flood plain disconnection of the river. These impacts initiate a modification of the sediment transport causing e.g. sedimentation in reservoirs and increasing flood risk. Meander cut offs trigger ecosystem degradation and destabilization of the aquatic habitats (e.g. spawning places) and consequently have a negative influence on biodiversity. This affects together with floods and droughts - intensified by climate change - the functioning of ecosystems, increasing vulnerability and a decline in ecosystem services provided by the river. Therefore the aim of SEDECO is to promote ecosystem services and biodiversity as well as to reduce the impacts of floods and droughts by the derivation of targeted and efficient green infrastructures. The new Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory HEL as open research center will, together with joint monitoring and modelling, form the basis for optimized green infrastructures. This involves an improved knowledge about the Thaya river system including a sustainable reservoir sediment management strategy helping to minimize flood and drought risk. Furthermore SEDECO aims to improve the morphodynamics in cross border meander reaches and of preserved natural or restored river banks, positively influencing ecosystem services and related biodiversity especially regarding fish, macrozoobenthic species and birds. The key outputs are the New Hydraulic engineering laboratory (HEL), a sustainable sediment management strategy for the Nove Mlyny reservoir and a guideline for sustainable meander and riverbank restoration/preservation to improve ecosystem services and reduce flood and drought risk in the cross border region. The main beneficiaries of the project outputs are (i) the natural environment, the Thaya river biodiversity and the National Parks, (ii) Water Management Authorities in AT (via donau, Lower Austria) and CZ (Povodi Moravi), (iii) persons interested in fisheries and wildlife, (iv) experts, students and researchers, (v) people in the cross border region, affected by floods and droughts, (vi) general public. Since rivers are not restricted by administrative and political borders and floods, droughts, sediments, fish etc. are moving across borders a pure national/regional/local approach is not able to protect and manage fluvial systems. The cross border cooperation is the only way to guarantee a sustainable solution for the problems addressed in SEDECO. In SEDECO the new approach consists of a joint development of monitoring, physical and numerical modelling of green infrastructures including a common strategic working and realisation concept developed in close cooperation between all partners.
- sediment management
- floods
- drought
- ecosystem services
Project staff
Helmut Habersack
Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Dr.h.c. Helmut Habersack
helmut.habersack@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81901, 81911
Project Leader
01.04.2016 - 30.06.2025
Mario Klösch
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Mario Klösch
mario.kloesch@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81913
Project Staff
01.11.2019 - 30.06.2020
Marlene Haimann
Dipl.-Ing. Marlene Haimann
marlene.haimann@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81936
Sub Projectleader
26.06.2020 - 31.12.2022
Project Staff
01.04.2016 - 25.06.2020
Christine Sindelar
Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Mag. Dr.techn. Christine Sindelar
christine.sindelar@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81944
Sub Projectleader
01.04.2016 - 30.06.2025
Michael Krapesch
Dipl.-Ing. Michael Krapesch
michael.krapesch@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81915
Project Staff
01.11.2019 - 31.12.2022
Angelika Riegler
Mag.rer.nat. Angelika Riegler
angelika.riegler@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81934
Project Staff
01.04.2016 - 30.06.2025
Johannes Schobesberger
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Johannes Schobesberger Bakk.techn.
Project Staff
01.01.2019 - 31.12.2022
BOKU partners
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External partners
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Brno University of Technlogy
Daniel Marton, marton.d@fce.vutbr.cz, +420541147773
partner
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Morava River basin State Enterprise
Pavel Tollner, tollner@pmo.cz, +420 541 637 298
partner