DeltaNet International Conference

1. DeltaNet International Conference Impacts of Global Change on Deltas, Estuaries and Coastal Lagoons Research Observation and Management Ebro Delta 6th-10th June 2011 Gwilym Owen & Paul Parker Severn Estuary Partnership Officers

2. DeltaNet Project Workshops • Integrated Delta Approach (theme 1) • Flood Risk and Sediment Management (theme 2) • Healthy Delta Environment (theme 3)

3. Integrated Delta Approach (theme 1) • Objective: Identify good practices for a “Better Integrated Delta Approach” • Responsible Partner – Rhine Scheldt Delta • Theme Partners: Elbe, Rhine-Scheldt Meuse, Severn and Tagus • Development of management plan, policy recommendations & work plan • Reports by each theme partner on their relative progress on the work plans • Presentation by Tom Bucx of the Delta Alliance, on the Comparative assessment of the vulnerability and resilience of 10 deltas around the world

4. Flood Risk and Sediment Management (theme 2) • Responsible Partner - Ebro • Objective: Analysis of sediment imbalances in selected Deltas and Estuaries – identification of key issues • Presentation of external study – read and comment on draft (awaiting copy) • General analysis of the situation in Europe • Specific analysis of the systems that are part of DeltaNet (theme 2), (Ebro, Danube, Elbe, Minho & Vistula • Sediment retention characteristics in each river system • Sediment aggradation in river channels & Estuaries (navigation issues & dredging) • Chemical contamination in sediments • Flood risk • Development of management plan, policy recommendations & workplan • Review lessons learnt from Eurosion - http://www.eurosion.org/

5. Healthy Delta Environment (theme 3) • Responsible Partner: Danube • Theme Partners: Ebro, Vistula, Minho, Severn • Partner Presentations: • What good practice do you have concerning the topic • What would be transferable? What are risk of transferring the good practice? • How has it been started and why was it successful? • What problem would you like to have advise in? A practical document on the theme will be elaborated after the workshop with the good practices in a clear format with recommendations

6. Steering Group Meeting • Website Presentation - http://www.deltanet-project.eu/ • Awaiting Intranet password • 3rdDeltaNet Newsletter currently being reviewed • DeltaNet Brochure currently being translated and disseminated to partners (July 2011) • Reporting procedure explained (Jan-June 2011 • Details (including deadlines) with PP and RB for completion • Docs required (signed by Financial Controller): • Control report (control checklist • Partner control confirmation • List of expenditures • Request of change for Severn to take over component 3 in themes 2&3 agreed – JTS to confirm

7. Summit of Delta Networks • GEO Coastal Zone Community of Practice • TIDE Project • Delta Research and Global Observation Network • Estuarine and Coastal Science Association • Delta Alliance • DeltaNet • Theseus

8. GEO Coastal Zone Community of Practice • The Coastal Zone Community of Practice (CZCP) supports the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) in its goal to provide observations required for informed decisions concerning the coastal zone. High and immediate priorities for GEOSS are improved forecasts of sea-level rise and associated increases in coastal inundation that may be exacerbated by increases in the frequency of extreme weather. • http://www.czcp.org/

9. TIDE Project • TIDE is an EU project which seeks to make integrated management and planning a reality in the estuaries of the Elbe, Scheldt, Humber and Weser rivers. It is partly funded by the INTERREG IV B North Sea Region Programme • http://www.tide-project.eu

10. Delta Research and Global Observation Network (DRAGON) • The DRAGON partnership is creating an international community of practice to share data on the great deltas and rivers of the world and to develop comparative models and visualization tools in order to facilitate ecological forecasting regarding climate change and development that ultimately helps in guiding decision making. • http://deltas.usgs.gov/

11. Estuarine and Coastal Science Association • The Estuarine & Coastal Sciences Association is an international organisation dedicated to the study of all aspects of estuarine and coastal marine science, and also the application of science for conservation and environmental management. • http://www.ecsa-news.org/

12. Delta Alliance • Delta Alliance is an international knowledge-driven network organization with the mission of improving the resilience of the world’s deltas. With increasing pressure from population growth, industrialization and a changing climate, it is more important than ever that these valuable and vulnerable locations increase their resilience to changing conditions. Delta Alliance brings people together who live and work in deltas. They can benefit from each other’s experience and expertise and as such contribute to an increased resilience of their delta region. • http://www.delta-alliance.org/

13. DeltaNet • Through the fourth Interregional Cooperation Programme (INTERREG IVC), which is financed by the European Union's Regional Development Fund, DeltaNet seeks to help its partners work together and share experience and good practice in a number of key areas, such as: industry; innovation; the knowledge economy; the environment; and risk prevention. • http://www.deltanet-project.eu/homepage

14. Theseus • THESEUS (Innovative technologies for safer European coasts in a changing climate) is the largest Integrated Project within coastal risk assessment and mitigation funded by the European Commission (6,530,000 €) and consists of 31 partner institutes. The project will develop during the next four years a systematic approach to deliver both a low-risk coast for human use and healthy coastal habitats for evolving coastal zones subjected to multiple factors. • http://www.theseusproject.eu/

15. Ebro Case Study • The Ebro basin is the largest in Spain (17% of land area) • Main land use is agricultural, with more than 1 million hectares of irrigation (90% of water use in the basin) • The basin water flow is strongly regulated by the construction of almost 200 dams • The mean annual flow near the mouth at Tortosa is almost half of what it was at the beginning of the 20th century

16. Ebro Delta Issues • Up to 80% of the delta area has been developed (250 km2) • Sediment transport to the delta is dramatic, with >99% of the sediment flow retained in the reservoirs • Around 40% of the delta plain is less than 0.5 m above MSL • Estimates of mean rates of subsidence in the delta are between 1 and 6 mm yr-1 • Eustatic sea level rise is about 3 mm yr-1 • Therefore approximately 50% of the delta plain will likely be under sea level by the end of the present century

17. Good Practice in the EbroThe SEDMA Plan • First step: Definition of the approach • Second step: Setting objectives • Third step: Establish the Working Plan • Fourth step: Define actions in the different areas • Fifth step: Establish the Plan Schedule in the different action areas

18. Ebro Delta Projects • Coastal dike and wetland restoration • Deepening of the coastal lagoon inlets • Supply of Ebro River water to the bays • Restoration of salt marshes and coastal lagoons • Experimental plots on wetland accretion • Constructed wetlands for agricultural water treatment • Monitoring Network of Environmental Indicators • Restoration of the Northern coastal fringe of the Ebro Delta • Decontamination of Flix reservoir

19. DeltaNet International Conference • Impacts of Global Change on Estuary & Coastal lagoons • Specific focus on response to sea level rise & climatic events, sediment imbalance & observations, monitoring and modelling • www.deltanet-project.eu