Department Water Resources and Drinking Water

In Switzerland, river sections of a total length of about 4000 km should be restored in the next decades. Main aim of these river restoration measures is the improvement to a nature-near environment and the preservation and the increase of biodiversity. Additionally, the resulting variety of river works provide a better protection during flood peaks while allowing the river a greater freedom to spread and move. However, scientific understanding regarding the underlying principles which determine how hydromorphological variability in restored river corridors relates to ecosystem functioning, biodiversity, groundwater recharge and quality is still limited. Especially the last aspect is from great relevance not only for water managers but, indirectly, of course for the customers, too. The main aspect of the RECORD Catchment project, a follow up of the RECORD project (Restored Corridor Dynamics) was to comprehensively investigate what measures are most effective to influence the river corridor and how groundwater flow systems modify the response of catchments to climate change. Furthermore, we deduced general key indicators which can help to give recommendations for future river restoration projects. The focus of our research was centered on the Thur catchment which is located in NE Switzerland.