EAWAG news 51e (January 2002)
Integrated Water Assessment and Management (Entire volume)
Editorial
(
en51e_edi.pdf, 50 KB)
Renata Behra (renata.behra@eawag.ch)
Lead Article
The Perspective of
Integrated Water Management
(en51e_bun.pdf, 200 KB)
Ueli Bundi (bundi@eawag.ch)
Integrated water management is a perspective for effective and efficient
protection and utilization concepts for water. On the one hand, individual
demands, such as water quality or flood protection, need to be coordinated
and optimized; on the other, integrated water management deals with ecological-economic
optimization of specific uses such as hydroelectric power generation. This
article presents some basic principles and tools to implement integrated water
management.
Research Reports
The Swiss Modular Concept - A Basis for the
Assessment of Streams
(en51e_pet.pdf,
170 KB)
Armin Peter (armin.peter@eawag.ch)
The Swiss Modular Concept creates a framework for the examination and
evaluation of streams and includes hydrological, morphological, biological,
chemical and ecotoxicological modules. It will become an important tool in
integrated assessment and management of streams.
How Can the Degree of Pollutant Impact on
a Stream be Documented?
(en51e_schweig.pdf,
160 KB)
Nina Schweigert (nina.schweigert@eawag.ch)
The Ecotoxicology Group at EAWAG has developed a novel two-step approach to
assess the toxicity of water samples. This procedure would allow for processing
of a large number of water samples and evaluation of their ecotoxicological
potential. For such a procedure, it is important to consider that the water
samples need to be tested with respect to all relevant toxic effects and currently
known mechanisms of toxicity. The approach will be included into the Swiss
modular concept and opens new possibilities in the ecotoxicological assessment
of water.
The Application of Models in Stream Protection-
How Models and Professional Expertise Can Contribute to the Solution of Environmental
Problems
(en51e_mei.pdf, 80 KB)
Werner Meier (werner.meier@eawag.ch)
In integrated stream management, models play a central role. Models help us
to understand natural systems and to predict how they will react to technical
manipulations or changing environmental conditions. In recent years, traditional
detailed water quality models have been joined by simplified Bayesian networks,
which are used to assess the effects of environmental regulations. Optimization
models evaluate the cost/benefit ratio of environmental measures and allow
us to use our financial resources more efficiently.
From Stream Reach to Catchment - The Ecological
Relevance of Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneity
(en51e_uehl.pdf, 140 KB)
Urs Uehlinger (uehlinger@eawag.ch)
The understanding of natural processes in rivers is based on the conceptual
foundations that have been developed in the second half of the 20th century.
Natural streams are ecosystems characterized by high spatio-temporal heterogeneity,
which is of crucial importance for the diversity of species and processes.
Stream systems are hierarchically organized and as important landscape elements
tightly linked to the adjacent terrestrial ecosystems. A successful integrated
stream assessment requires consideration of the multifaceted nature of stream
ecosystems at different scales.
Integrated Water Management
in River Basin Districts
(en51e_leent.pdf, 220 KB)
Jan Leentvaar
Last year, the European Union agreed on a Water Framework Directive that outlines
a general concept for stream protection in Europe. This directive creates
the basis for unified policies on the integrated protection of streams and
ground water. Each member state is required to revise its water management
system.
Water Protection Using Market Tools- The
EAWAG Project "Green Electricity"
(en51e_brat.pdf,
190 KB)
Christine Bratrich (christine.bratrich@eawag.ch)
The goal of the project "Green Electricity" was to define an ecological
label for the identification and promotion of hydropower produced in an environmentally
friendly way. Power plants receiving such a label would need to satisfy a
set of basic standards with respect to stream ecology and in addition, invest
part of their revenues towards the protection, improvement and/or rehabilitation
of the catchments they use.
Fish - Indicators
and Winners
(en51e_holm.pdf,
100 KB)
Patricia Holm (patricia.holm@eawag.ch)
Over the last 10 years, fish yields in Switzerland have dropped dramatically.
Investigations on the health of fish have often revealed abnormalities. The
project "Network Fish Decline in Switzerland", or "Fishnet"
for short, is investigating the causes of the decline and will develop proposals
for remedial action over the next few years.
Synergism Between Flood Protection and Stream
Ecology - Space as the Key Parameter
(en51e_willi.pdf,
180 KB)
Hans Peter Willi
The Federal Law on Hydraulic Engineering dictates that human life and material
assets be protected from damage by water. This needs to be achieved while
having a minimal impact on streams and reserving sufficient space for them
to fulfill their multitude of ecological functions. These general principles
are to be translated into a flood protection philosophy that is in balance
with the environment
Forum/In Brief
(en51e_forum.pdf, 140 KB including In Brief)
The Dialogue Continues - Scientists
and nonscientist citizens meet for the second "round table" discussion
of "Science et Cité"
In July 2000,
the second in a series of "round table" discussions was held in
Kastanienbaum on Lake Lucerne. Twelve citizens and 12 scientists spent two
days discussing the topic "Chemicals in the Water".
Publications and books
Please feel free to submit questions or suggestions any time to the editor Martina Bauchrowitz.