Water Management Strategies against Water Scarcity in the Alps (AlpWaterScarce)

Description:

The objectives are to improve water management at the short term (annual scale) and long term (using future scenarios) based on modelling and application of climate change and anthropogenic scenarios. Innovative measures of mitigation and adaptation should predict and prevent future water shortages. Awareness raising and stakeholder interaction will form an important part of problem identification, participation in the project, dissemination of results and implementation of new approaches.

The project will be approached via three main geographical regions over the Alps: 1) high alpine regions, 2) inner alpine dry valleys and 3) pre-alpine basins represented by approximately 30 pilot regions in the 5 countries. The project aims to identify pilot regions across the whole Alpine Arc with actual or emerging water scarcity problems as a consequence of climate and anthropogenic change. The main objective is to develop transnational strategies and concepts of monitoring, sustainable water management and mitigation measures. Since climate, hydrological and anthropogenic change affects the whole Alpine Arc, the problems and solutions can only be analysed and compared at this scale. Detailed goals:
1) develop a user forum on a transalpine, national and regional level;
2) develop an Early Warning System for Water Scarcity in selected pilot regions;
3) predict water quality change as an effect of decreasing groundwater recharge;
4) apply tools to support decision making;
5) develop transnational concepts of water management that ensures water supply for human uses and preservation of aquatic biodiversity;
6) demonstrate "Best practices" in target areas, exchange of knowledge and experience;
7) create a Handbook for water resources management focused on water scarcity problems for policy makers;
8) publish recommendations and suggestions for resource conflict management as well as mitigation measures for stakeholders end users;
9) increase public participation in sustainable water management processes
10) provide recommendations for mountain water regulations.

Project information

Lead

Mountain Institute, Savoy (FR) Georges-Marie Saulnier

Partners

University of Savoie (IM); Society of Alpine Economics of Upper Savoy (SEA 74); Local Government of Savoy (CG 73); Department of the Carinthian Regional Government (KTN ); Government of the Province of Styria, Department of Water management and urban water management (ST MK); Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Centre for Geoinformatics (PLUS ); Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics (AWI); Development Agency Genovese (GAL ); Province of Alessandria (ProvAles); Autonomous Province of Trento - Department for Territorial Planning and Environment (ProvTN ); UNCE M Piemont Delegation (UNCE M); Regional Agency for Prevention and Protection of the Environment of Veneto - Department for the Safety of Territory (AR PAV-DST ); Geological Survey of Slovenia (Geo-Zs); National Institute of Biology; Department for Freshwater and Terrestrial Ecosystems Research (NIB); Slovene Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Maribor (ZavodMB); Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EA WAG); Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN ); Federal Department for the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC )

Source of funding

Interreg IV B Alpine Space