Newsletter 09 - December 2019

The second AQUATAP_ES workshop took place in Brussels on 19 November 2019 with 13 attendees from the various projects and the Water JPI community. Our Dutch colleagues hosted the workshop in their offices in Brussels. This workshop focused on discussing the relevant and appropriate stakeholders for mapping the impact of AQUATAP-ES, and appropriate methods to communicate the outputs of AQUATAP-ES. The main aims of this workshop was to identify ways of translating the Ecosystem Approach into policy and practice, generating a suitable knowledge transfer and communication/dissemination strategy for different target stakeholders.

The group concentrated on means of mapping and measuring the impact of the AQUATAP-ES TAP, short, medium and long term.  Following on with work relating to  the translation of the ecosystem approach and best practice, such as illustrated by the Netherlands example. Also identifying key stakeholders, generating a policy brief that is relevant to particular audiences (again looking at best practice such as MARS project and Biodiversa policy briefs) and creating linkages and collaboration with existing initiatives critically not duplicating work but finding the network’s own unique message and identity.

This 2^nd workshop is a positive development in the activities in the AQUATAP_ES, moving forward into an operational phase where the network participants will co-developing outputs, impacts and linkages with other initiatives and stakeholders to ensure the message of the importance of Ecosystems Services is central to policy and can be practically applied on the ground to make a real impact.

The Water JPI Knowledge Hub on Water Related UN SDGs workshop was hosted by FCT and took place in Lisbon on December 3^rd, 2019. The aim of the workshop was to launch the second Water JPI Knowledge Hub (KH) implemented under the Coordination and Support Action (CSA) IC4WATER. The objectives of the workshop included (a) narrowing down the thematic scope of the KH, (b) describing the type of activities and outputs to achieve in the next two years, (c) selecting the scientific coordinator of the KH, and (d) choosing the acronym and name for the KH.

Along with several Water JPI partner institution representatives, 12 invited water experts from different parts of Europe who compose the Seed Group of the KH attended the workshop. The event was initiated by Rabi Mokhtar from Beirut American University who made a key-note speech to reflect upon the global research gaps and challenges under the theme of “New Water Under Water Scarcity”, which is the global topic of the KH as designated by Water JPI Governing Board previously. Before the breakout sessions, Norbert Kreuzinger, Scientific Coordinator in the Water JPI’s pilot Knowledge Hub on Contaminants of Emerging Concern, shared his experiences derived from the pilot KH.

By the end of the workshop the participants had gathered a pool of exciting ideas, which will be evaluated in early 2020 to set the thematic scope of the KH. It was agreed that the first output by the Seed Group should be a policy brief that will be supplemented by scientific outcomes and deliver clear-cut policy recommendations addressing international cooperation challenges associated with achieving SDGs related to water. Roberto Deidda (University of Cagliari) is chosen as the Scientific Coordinator of the KH and he will be assisted by Kevin McGuigan (Royal Collage of Surgeons in Ireland) in this task. Finally, the attendees concurred on the acronym “WATER4SDGs”, which reflects the SDGs oriented approach of the second Water JPI Knowledge Hub.

WATER4SDGs Seed Group getting to know each other during the Social event

Back to back with the kick-off of the second Water JPI Knowledge Hub focusing on the UN SDGs, the Water JPI organised a workshop with peer international institutions interested in joint initiatives. Building on several events including two workshops with European initiatives and researchers and two geographical workshops held in 2017, this workshop implemented under the Coordination and Support Action (CSA) IC4WATER aimed at collecting the views of International / non-European initiatives and better understanding the difficulties faced to join JPI activities.

Following a plenary session in the morning, attendees were given the opportunity to take part in group discussions on a) Specific needs for innovation / connection to economic sector, b) Possible Models for Cooperation.

The discussions between Water JPI partners and RDI programme managers and the outcomes of this workshop will inform the overall strategy for developing the Water JPI international network, building on existing connections.

Picture of the Workshop participants in front of FCT Headquarters, Lisbon

The conference, held in Malmöe, Sweden, 13-14 june 2019, T CITIES, RAIN and RISK was the joint final seminar of Water JPI (WaterWorks2014) projects MUFFIN (Multi-Scale Urban Flood Forecasting) and INXCES (Innovations for Extreme Climatic Events), together with two national Swedish projects (Sustainable Urban Flood Management and X-band Weather Radar). The conference was divided into four themes (1) End-user engagement, tailored tools and public perceptions, (2) Rainfall and environmental observation and forecasting, (3) Urban flood modelling and forecasting and (4) Water management, nature-based solutions and climate adaptation. Almost 150 persons attended the conference; the abstract booklet can be found here and for a short glimpse of the conference, see video here.

The aim of MUFFIN project was to bridge the gap between the urban and large-scale hydrological modelling communities and develop innovative tools for reducing the urban impacts of extreme precipitation, including sensor technology, systems for interpreting and communicating data, and monitoring networks that will contribute to improved integrated risk management solutions to urban floods.

One of the tools that have been developed in MUFFIN is RAINVIS, which is a real-time high-resolution high-intensity rainfall visualization prototype. It provides the user the best possible information and decision support both before a flood event (forecasts – for early warning), during the event (observation and forecast – for situation awareness) and after the event

(observations – for post-event analysis). Another MUFFIN output is a multi-scale flood forecasting prototype developed for Aalborg City, Denmark. For more information about the MUFFIN results, please visit the project at the Water JPI open data webpage.

The overall objectives of INXCES is to develop new innovative technological methods for risk assessment and mitigation of extreme hydroclimatic events and optimization of urban water-dependent ecosystem services at the catchment level, for a spectrum of rainfall events. It is widely acknowledged that extreme events such as floods and droughts are an increasing challenge, particularly in urban areas.

Specifically, INXCES has developed a Quick-scan method for flood prone areas in cities. It is based on readily available GIS data coupled with a 3D visualization, which is a key aspect of understanding the consequences of flooding on a policy and development level. Novel methodologies for characterising the behaviour of metals in urban stormwater runoff and snowmelt have been implemented and the implications of new knowledge generated for runoff and snowmelt treatment considered. Further INXCES has identified stormwater filters with high resilience for hydroclimatic extremes and coupled with high performance water treatment. Improved understanding of the snowmelt processes and modelling of climatic influences on such processes has been an important addition to closing the knowledge gap on snowmelt in urban settings. Drought resulting in water stress changes the soil moisture content, which in turn causes changes in the soil surface elevations on a micro scale. It is possible to map these changes through linking multiple time series of satellite observations (InSAR) to hydroclimatic events. This work has been initiated in the first half of the project, and has been expanded in the second half of the project period.

The INXCES project has conducted several collaborative field and laboratory experiments. For example, an evaluation of metal fractionation in rainfall, rain-on-snow and snowmelt runoff events and the full-scale stress test of urban mitigation measures such as raingardens. This adds important knowledge to the evidence base of the impact of precipitation type on pollutant behaviour and how these stormwater measures function during extreme events.

From the 11 to 13 November 2019, the EU-Central Asia Network for Water Science and Technology hosted the Thematic Workshop on 'Water quality'. The workshop was held at the American University of Central Asia, in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

During the three-day event, scientists from EU and central Asia countries shared and discussed the most recent findings of their research activities.

The workshop covered most of the aspects related to water quality, focusing in particular on the subjects that are most relevant for central Asia countries, such as the management of trans-frontier river basins, the safety of drinking water, the management of wastewater, the sustainability of irrigation practices.

EU partners presented the most relevant results of successful EU funded collaborative projects (including the MeProWaRe project, funded under the EU Water JPI) that covered one of more of these subjects. Central Asia partners presented interesting case studies and described some critical issues that need to be dealt with in the near future. The discussion has been always heated and comprehensive.