GE 4: AquaModul
Responsible beneficiary: LWK/DVU
The aim of the pilot is to develop a stakeholder integrated groundwater monitoring system and to identify measures to adapt to climate change by allowing increased groundwater extraction for agricultural irrigation under the premises of WFD-requirements (i.e. of protection of groundwater dependent ecosystems).
Due to sandy soils the region belongs to Germany’s largest agricultural irrigation area. Mainly groundwater is used. The rather rural region is characterized by a weak infrastructure and loss of inhabitants. The limiting factors to the necessary additional groundwater extraction are the WFD requirements of preserving (and improving) existing protected groundwater dependent ecosystems. The sum effects of the collective wells have been investigated during the last decade with the help of iterative modelling. Now a practicable and significant monitoring system and DSS need to be designed and installed. It will be the basis for the future management of extraction as well as possibly artificial recharge.
The objectives are:
• Installation of stakeholder Round Table
• Identification of existence, type and qualities of data to better describe the geohydrologic system; definition of significant lacks and search for practical improvements
• Technical research and stakeholder involvement to improve data collection
• Use of existing modells and improved data to design a pilot monitoring system and to run scenarios
• Pilot installation of monitoring technology including identification of innovative technology
• Investigation of interpretation methods and development of decision support system for groundwater management
• Testing phase
Stakeholders are Irrigation-Waterboards, Geological-, Nature and Waterauthorities, Farmers association, Irrigators union, Drinkingwater associations, nature conservation associations.
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