Adaptation of the Meuse to the impact of climate change: Subreport I. Bibliographic study of climate change and impact on hydrology of the Meuse basin for high and low water situations
Moeskops, S.; Smets, S.; De Sutter, R.; Holvoet, K.; Vanneuville, W.; Mostaert, F. (2010). Adaptation of the Meuse to the impact of climate change: Subreport I. Bibliographic study of climate change and impact on hydrology of the Meuse basin for high and low water situations. Versie 2.0. WL Rapporten, 710_14a. Flanders Hydraulics Research/IMDC: Antwerpen. III, 51 pp. Part of: WL Rapporten. Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium: Antwerpen. , more |
| Available in | Authors | | Document type: Project report
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| Keywords | Climatic changes
High water
Literature and desktop study
Low water
Water management > Statistics > Uncertainty analysis
Water management > Water quantity > Water balance - Water availability
Water management > Water quantity > Water system knowledge
Belgium, Meuse Basin [Marine Regions]
Fresh water |
| Abstract | The present subreport I – Bibliographic study of climate change and impact on hydrology of the Meuse basin for high and low water situations – fits within the AMICE study for a coordinated strategy for the Adaptation of the Meuse to the Impacts of Climate Evolutions on floods and low-flows with the perspective of sustainable development in the Meuse international catchment basin. This literature review focuses on the Flemish part of the Meuse basin.
Climate change will induce effects on precipitation and by so, on discharges and water levels, as the Meuse is a typical rain fed river. Precipitation will be more clustered with more and longer periods of precipitation in winter and more and longer periods of drought in summer. The changes in discharge regime are less pronounced due to increased evaporation and the natural storage capacity of the catchment, although different studies predict an increase in average discharge at the end of the winter and a decrease of average summer discharge.
As the water in the Meuse is being used for agriculture, navigation, drinking water, energy production and industry, the Meuse has an economical value of hundreds million euros a year. To ensure these economic activities in the future, water hazard mitigation measures should include climate change. However, the existing projects in Flanders mainly focus on flood control and ecological development. To assess the impact of on the one hand climate change and on the other hand change in water management and river works, mathematical models are applied. Such models are also utilized in flood and low water forecasting. |
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