| projects-101 |
101115565 |
ice cubed |
ICE³: Modelling the global multi-century evolution of glacier ICE in 3D |
HORIZON |
ERC-2023-STG |
ERC-2023-STG |
2024-01-01 |
2028-12-31 |
On going |
€ 001 496 941.00 |
Glaciers are key contributors to sea-level rise and are critical water resources that supply fresh water to hundreds of millions of people around the world. It is therefore of paramount importance to accurately simulate the future evolution of these precious ice bodies.Despite recent progress in modelling the global evolution of glaciers, existing simulations suffer from vast uncertainties related to (i) model input, (ii) a simplified representation of glacier processes, and (iii) an important mismatch between the timescales over which models are calibrated (multi-annual to decadal) and those over which the future glacier projections occur (century timescale). ICE³ will revolutionise the regional- to global-scale modelling of glaciers, by (i) strongly reducing uncertainties in model input through innovative inversion of climatic information, (ii) developing new approaches to model glacier processes in 3D, and (iii) for the first time simulating past glacier evolution globally over centennial time scales with an ice-dynamic model.These improvements will culminate in new global glacier evolution projections under a range of future emission scenarios, which will in turn inform the next generation of sea-level rise and water availability projections. While redefining the landscape of large-scale glacier modelling, ICE³ will also ensure that the novelties it produces are incorporated in climate change impact models to guide policymakers and practitioners in adapting to a changing environment. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101115565 |
Snow and ice' |
| projects-102 |
101063197 |
HydroCORE |
Hydropower infrastructure in Andean headwaters: Combining Observations and Remote sensing to analyse Environmental impacts |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01 |
HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01-01 |
2023-07-01 |
2026-06-30 |
On going |
No data |
Hydroelectric power is a popular alternative to burning fossil fuels, especially within the Amazon river basin. However, no single hydropower installation is without any environmental impact. By damming a river, significant alterations do occur in the hydrological connectivity, which reverberate in the river’s morphological state and physicochemical conditions. Moreover, consequent changes in the structure and functioning of the aquatic community have a tendency to negatively affect various ecosystem services, thereby putting local societies at risk and undermining the goal of sustainable development. Various qualitative global assessments have certainly helped illustrating opportunities and threats, but have failed to be compatible with local management needs and ecological perspectives. Therefore, the aim of this research is to monitor, analyse, evaluate and illustrate the impacts of reservoir-based hydropower infrastructure on the morphology, hydrology and quality of Andean headwaters within the Amazon river basin by combining (i) remote sensing, (ii) process-based hydrological modelling and (iii) water quality assessment based on field campaigns with a high temporal resolution. Additional focus is directed at the interaction with climate change, including the contribution through emissions of greenhouse gases (field measurements) and the challenges under future climate conditions (modelling). To do so, the Paute river basin (Ecuador) is selected as study area to (i) overcome the local data scarcity, (ii) develop a protocol for evaluating similar systems and (iii) preserve the uniqueness of these headwater ecosystems. Project activities and obtained results will be publicly accessible and continuously disseminated online and in-person. As such, this research will increase local and global understanding of and reduce the environmental impacts associated with reservoir-based hydropower installations. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101063197 |
Rivers and estuaries', 'Water reservoir' |
| projects-103 |
101118083 |
AQUAGUARD |
Protecting the planet’s bloodstream: feasible and just opportunities to safeguard freshwater’s Earth system functions |
HORIZON |
ERC-2023-STG |
ERC-2023-STG |
2024-01-01 |
2028-12-31 |
On going |
€ 001 498 561.00 |
Freshwater has a fundamental role in regulating the state of the Earth system. Various human actions modify the water cycle, disturbing the Earth system functions it provides, such as mediating the planet’s energy balance and sustaining ecosystems. Humanity’s impact on these functions has not been quantified comprehensively, nor do we know what human actions drive water cycle modifications (WCMs) in different parts of the world. This knowledge gap has made it impossible to acknowledge freshwater's crucial Earth system functions in decision-making. As human pressures on the water cycle continue to increase, there is an urgent need for bridging the gap between Earth system science and water management and governance, to safeguard freshwater’s life-supporting Earth system functions. AQUAGUARD rises to this challenge by 1) providing quantifications of the full extent of humanity's disturbance of the Earth system functions of freshwater, globally and in a spatially explicit manner, using novel indicators and spatial delineations; 2) using novel computational methods that will provide new insights into the complex driver interactions behind WCMs; 3) quantifying crucial Earth system impacts of WCMs, using modelling and meta-analysis, and 4) identifying feasible and just opportunities to safeguard freshwater’s Earth system functions, using AQUAGUARD’s quantifications combined with novel indicators of feasibility and equity aspects of freshwater change – at scales that are appropriate for water management and governance.AQUAGUARD addresses fundamental knowledge gaps at the intersection of hydrology, ecology and biogeochemistry, and provides various new methods and ground-breaking scientific results that will illustrate water as an integral part of the Earth system. By doing so, the project opens up new research avenues within and across these fields and expands perspectives in water management and governance from predominantly local to local-to-global. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101118083 |
Groundwater', 'Urban water', 'Rivers and estuaries', 'Wetlands' |
| projects-104 |
101086252 |
STARWARS |
STormwAteR and WastewAteR networkS heterogeneous data AI-driven management |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-MSCA-2021-SE-01 |
HORIZON-MSCA-2021-SE-01-01 |
2023-01-01 |
2026-12-31 |
On going |
No data |
Public and private stakeholders of the wastewater and stormwater sectors are increasingly faced with large quantities and multiple sources of information/data of different nature: databases of factual data, geographical data, various types of images, digital and analogue maps, intervention reports, incomplete and imprecise data (on locations and the geometric features of networks), evolving and conflicting data (from different eras and sources), etc. Obtaining accurate and updated information on the underground wastewater and stormwater networks is a challenge and a cumbersome task, especially in cities undergoing urban expansion. Within this context, the main objective of this multidisciplinary project, STARWARS (STormwAteR and WastewAteR networkS heterogeneous data AI-driven management), is to address this challenge by providing novel proposals for the management of heterogeneous data in stormwater and wastewater networks. The STARWARS project aims to bring together researchers from the AI and Water Sciences communities in order to enhance the emergence of new practical solutions for representing, managing, modelling, merging, completing, reasoning, explaining and query answering over data of different forms pertaining to stormwater and wastewater networks. The project is implemented through five work packages (WP). The first four WP concern research developments of new AI methodologies for managing heterogeneous stormwater and wastewater networks’ data. The fifth WP is dedicated to project management and dissemination activities.The second objective of the project is to produce new knowledge and to promote knowledge exchange, with a strong will and a plan to encourage knowledge sharing between the researchers involved in this STARWARS project. The scheduled secondment plan is designed with the aim of maximizing knowledge transfer and training between the two fields of Water Sciences and AI and thus facilitating the achievement of the project objectives. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101086252 |
Urban water' |
| projects-105 |
101159480 |
ARTIFACT |
ARTificial Intelligence for Flood resilient infrAstruCTure |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-02 |
HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-02-02 |
2024-10-01 |
2027-09-30 |
On going |
No data |
Amidst the mounting challenges posed by climate change, particularly escalating urban flooding events, the Institute for Artificial Intelligence R&D of Serbia (IVI) introduces the ARTIFACT project, focusing on the synergy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and engineering for urban flood resilience. Recognizing the limitations of existing physics-based models, the ARTIFACT seeks to harness AI's capabilities to elevate urban flood prediction, management, and mitigation, emphasising the importance of integrating nature-based solutions (NBS) and AI in urban planning to confront future flood risks. Notably, IVI aims to utilize vast datasets and advanced machine learning techniques to offer in-depth, real-time analysis concerning climate change impacts. By intertwining AI-driven solutions and expertise of IVI with engineering prowess from leading EU partners, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (IHE Delft), and Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), the initiative aims to foster advanced strategies in AI-based urban flood modelling. As IVI positions itself at the forefront of AI-driven environmental modelling, the ARTIFACT project emerges as a beacon of innovation, cementing IVI's role as a regional leader and research lighthouse in this domain. To achieve this ARTIFACT will use staff exchanges, expert trainings, summer schools and workshops to boost the research excellence, innovation capacity and visibility of IVI members focusing on ESRs and administrative staff. The project will gradually shift focus from research to innovation-driven implementation by setting up Blue-Green AI Hub at IVI as an interface towards the regional ICT sector, bridging high-quality IVI research with thriving regional ICT innovation scene. With the help of EU partners, ARTIFACT will put the IVI on the European map of emerging AI-based flood and NBS modelling, while via Blue-Green AI Hub, IVI will become integral part of regional ICT industry. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101159480 |
Urban water' |
| projects-106 |
101081980 |
SafeCREW |
Climate-resilient management for safe disinfected and non-disinfected water supply systems |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-CL6-2022-ZEROPOLLUTION-01 |
HORIZON-CL6-2022-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-04 |
2022-11-01 |
2026-04-30 |
On going |
€ 004 186 197.50 |
Safe and affordable supply of drinking water (DW) in the EU under the pressure of climate change is a key priority. Despite long-term experience with the reliable operation of disinfected and non-disinfected drinking water supply systems (DWSS), a number of challenges around microbial stability, the (future) need for disinfection and the consequences of disinfection by-products (DBPs) formation for human health remain open, directly deriving from climate change impacts such as increasing water temperature and higher levels of natural organic matter (NOM).SafeCREW aims to support the novel EU DW Directive by generating advanced knowledge and developing tools and guidelines for disinfected and non-disinfected DWSS and addresses improved comprehensive water quality characterization, novel treatment solutions to actively respond to identified threats, and the management of distribution networks to avoid water quality deterioration up to consumers.Novel data sets on the occurrence and concentration of so far unknown DBPs will be created, and commercial actors stimulated to further develop tools for DBP quantification and mitigation.Transferable tools will be provided to end-users (water utilities, national/EU regulators, researchers, SMEs), including: (I) reliable methods to evaluate microbial stability, characterise NOM, detect DBPs and account for DBP human health toxicity, (II) protocols to select proper materials in contact with disinfected water, (III) monitoring and modelling tools, also exploiting machine learning, for real-time optimisation of DWSS management, and (IV) an integrated risk assessment framework to guide future interventions which ensure that both disinfected and non-disinfected DWSS can continue providing safe DW in the face of climate change.SafeCREW will increase the preparedness of the EU water sector to challenges arising from climate change and will support the EU’s leading position in science-based policy making for DW consumer protection. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101081980 |
Urban water' |
| projects-107 |
101122167 |
iAMP-Hydro |
intelligent Asset Management Platform for Hydropower operation and maintenance |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-03 |
HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-03-08 |
2023-10-01 |
2026-09-30 |
On going |
No data |
The iAMP-Hydro project will improve the digital operation of existing plants through the development of 6 expected results (R) which will collectively form iAMP - a novel intelligent Asset Management Platform (see result R5 in Fig. 1) encompassing secure open and transparent data sharing protocols (R4) and three novel digital solutions: R1. Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance modelling; R2. Ecological status monitoring and water management; R3. Improved weather and flow forecasting. The full package of digital solutions will be validated at a diverse set of five real-world existing hydropower plants producing evidence for policy making to support the green and digital transition of hydropower (R6). The existing plants include differing power capacities, electro-mechanical equipment type, water end-use, flow and head regimes, climatic conditions, and environmental sensitivities (biodiversity).The project will increase the technology competitiveness of existing hydro by reducing O&M costs by 5-10%, improving generation and revenues, increasing flexibility and data-driven decision making in hydropower operations. It will also increase the market penetration of renewables in the grid by 8.4 TWh, and getting closer to the EU 2030 Climate and Energy targets, and EU green deal. iAMP-Hydro will improve environmental and socio-economic sustainability of the existing hydropower fleet by reducing operating costs by €1 billion per annum, reducing CO2 emissions by 1260 tonnes, creating 10,000 future-proof jobs, and enabling environmentally sustainable flow regulation using digital solutions. The project will advance the scientific basis for hydropower digitalization by developing, validating and providing a roadmap for the further development of 5 new digital technologies. We will produce 10 peer reviewed journal publications and 20 conference publications. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101122167 |
Water reservoir' |
| projects-108 |
101083763 |
EPIC Africa |
ENERGY PLANNING AND MODELLING THROUGH INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE LAND ENERGY WATER NEXUS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-CL5-2021-D3-03 |
HORIZON-CL5-2021-D3-03-01 |
2022-11-01 |
2026-10-31 |
On going |
€ 002 499 675.00 |
Achieving clean energy access and food security targets in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will require significant infrastructure expansion. Improved policy environments and governance structures are recognised as vital in scaling up funding for climate-resilient investments in renewable energy infrastructures. The efficient exploitation of land, energy and water resources and their synergised use for sustainable economic development, as well as their robustness to stressors from climate change require integrated optimisation and assessment of strategic plans in these sectors. Working with existing, widely adopted, open-source modelling tools and data, the EPIC Africa project will build on the transparent integrated assessment, and resource modelling, connecting to the already existing community of developers and users. The project will create a network of African experts to train, co-create and sustain the tools developed in the long term, which is lacking at the moment. The project will build advanced and spatially contextualised water-energy-food (WEF) models for long-term infrastructure planning. Operational WEF models with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution will be developed and used to verify cost-optimised infrastructure investment plans under different climate and socioeconomic scenarios. EPIC Africa sets out to support governance of sustainable development in SSA by forming and connecting a transition arena with stakeholders in dialogue, leading to the development of a WEF nexus digital engagement tool. Optimal use of shared resources will be exemplified for Africa using the cases of the Volta and Tana river basins. Here, we will design specific policy, investment and infrastructure plans for the coming decades in the agricultural, water and energy access sectors. The project will produce a set of institutional, regulatory and technical recommendations for sustainable management of optimised transition pathways. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101083763 |
Rivers and estuaries', 'Urban water' |
| projects-109 |
101157360 |
iNNO SED |
iNNOvative SEDiment management in the Danube River Basin |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01 |
HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-02 |
2024-09-01 |
2029-08-31 |
On going |
€ 008 765 402.50 |
"The Danube River Basin (DRB) faces significant challenges associated with river sediments. In the 2021 update of the Danube River Basin Management Plan, sediment balance alteration emerged as a new sub-topic within the existing Significant Water Management Issue titled ""Hydromorphological alterations."" Additionally, sectors like industry, urban sewage, and agriculture call for sediment quality evaluations throughout the DRB. However, the absence of standard sediment monitoring limits our understanding of risks.Addressing the sediment mismanagement in the DRB, the iNNO SED project aims to establish the Danube Sediment ‘Lighthouse’ Knowledge Centre. This centre will:•Introduce a set of innovative methods for monitoring and modelling sediment quantity and quality, thereby deepening our knowledge of sediment processes.•Provide innovative sediment management practices to improve sediment continuity and quality in DRB sections facing with sediment-related issues.•Showcase co-created innovative measures through demonstration activities, while also evaluating their socio-economic and environmental aspects.•Empower the public with innovative knowledge transfer methodologies.•Collaborate with five Associated Regions, transferring the iNNO SED solutions to other river basins.To accomplish these goals, iNNO SED will leverage the achievements and key contributors of the DanubeSediment and SIMONA initiatives. Moreover, it will engage relevant stakeholders of sediment management, such as ICPDR, policy makers, river managers, hydropower plant managers, waterway authorities, national parks, environmental agencies, SMEs, and more.iNNO SED will represent a pioneering approach to sediment management in large international river basins. This approach sets an example for other major global river systems like the Amazon, Mekong, or Niger. In doing so, it aligns with the Mission's objective of intensifying the European Union's competitiveness." |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101157360 |
Rivers and estuaries' |
| projects-110 |
101083481 |
WE-ACT |
Water Efficient Allocation in a Central Asian Transboundary River Basin |
HORIZON |
HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01 |
HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-01 |
2023-01-01 |
2026-12-31 |
On going |
€ 005 299 363.75 |
Mountainous regions in Central Asia are vulnerable to consequences of climate change. Taking appropriate decisions for allocation of water over communities, the environment and key economic sectors such as agriculture and energy, is increasingly challenging due to economic and population growth as well as climate-induced changes in hydrological regimes in Central Asia’s main transboundary river basins.WE-ACT proposes to establish a climate sensitive Decision Support System for water allocation in two sub-catchments of a transboundary river basin in Central Asia, namely the Naryn and Kara Darya catchments of the Syr Darya river basin (covering parts of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan).Based on an innovative water information system that captures a thorough understanding of water availability, demand, footprint and allocation in a glacier-fed river basin, WE-ACT will enable water managers to interact with an accessible and intuitive DSS to alleviate water stress for communities, the economy and the environment on the short- and long-term. WE-ACT will enable them to adapt the allocation of water resources to the known and expected effects of climate change, while encouraging the improvement of policies to correctly set water tariffs, reduce water footprints and increase water use efficiency in agriculture and energy sectors.The backbone of the project is a reliable data supply chain based on real-time monitoring, integrated water demand-, availability- and use modelling approach, machine-learning, and data storage in a transboundary context. This will be matched with an in-depth understanding of water policies and priorities that face increasing pressures of climate change, growing demand and water dependency.End-users of the project (hydrometeorological stations, integrated models, DSS for water allocation) will be carefully mapped, invited, involved and trained to establish and use meaningful results from the outset of the project. |
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101083481 |
Rivers and estuaries', 'Snow and ice' |
