River basin management modelling

Mechanistic Approaches. Adequate and appropriate river-quality assessment must provide predictive information on the possible consequences of water and land development. This requires an understanding of the relevant cause and effect relationships and suitable data to develop predictive models for basin management. This understanding may be achieved through qualitative, semi-quantitative or quantitative approaches. When quantitative or semi-quantitative methods are not available the qualitative approach must be applied. Qualitative assessments involve knowledge of how basin activities may affect river quality. This requires the use of various descriptive methods. An example of this kind of assessment is laboratory evaluation of the extent to which increases in plant nutrients, temperature or flow may lead to accelerated eutrophication with consequent reduction of water quality. 

Integrated River Basin Management Harmonised Modelling Tools and Decision-making Process... 

Figure 4.2.2 Framework for model-supported participatory planning of measures and integrated river basin management (planning framework, Hattermann and Kundzewicz, 2007 Wenzel, 2005) (see Plate 4)...

Chapman, A., Brils, J., Ansink, E., Herivaux, C. and Strosser, P. (2008) Conceptual models in river basin management. In QuevauviUer, P. (ed.) Groundwater Science Policy An International Overview, RSC Publishing. 

Harmoni-CA (2001) Harmonised modelling tools for integrated river basin management, Harmoni-CA, EU-funded concerted action. Contract EVKI-2001-00192, http //www.Harmoni-CA.info. 

Modelling of the planned measures to implement the River Basin Management Plan (Art.11-7)... 

Matthies M, Berlekamp J, Lautenbach S, Graf N, Relmer S (2006) System analysis of water quality management for the Elbe river basin. Environ Modell Softw 21 1309-1318... 

Capri E (2008) The implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Italy state of the art on plant protection products (PPPs) monitoring and model estimation. In 2nd Riskbase WP lb Thematic Workshop, Bridging Science, Water Management and Practical Experiences in European River Basins Oral presentation, Budapest, May 15-17... 

GREAT-ER. 2005. A GIS assisted model for environmental risk assessment and management of chemicals in river basins, http //www.great-er.org/pages/home.cfm (accessed December 15, 2005). 

The need for a catchment-scale approach to freshwater ecosystem management is recognised by the EU Water Framework Directive, where the basic unit of management is referred to as the river basin district (European Commission, 2000). The complexity of the interactions between aquatic and terrestrial systems at the catchment scale necessitates a modelling approach also at the catchment scale. With respect to climate change, existing or new models need development to represent climate, soil, land use, lakes, rivers and coastal waters, so that the responses of whole catchment systems can be simulated and the models used to assess the impacts of alternative catchment management decisions. 

Stillwell, A. S., Clayton, M. E., Webber, M. E. (2011). Technical analysis of a river basin-based model of advanced power plant cooling technologies for mitigating water management challenges. Environmental Research Letters, 6(3), 034015. 

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