Securing European water resources in a changing climate – a 3-part webinar series with DIRT-X conducted

On three occasions in March, the DIRT-X project arranged webinars aimed at those who in one way or another work with water resources. The focus was on how different services can be affected by sediment deposits in water reservoirs. The DIRT-X research project is about how the changing climate and socio-economic conditions affect water reservoirs and the services they provide for various economic sectors. - The participants in the webinars came from several different countries and economic sectors. During the webinars they got an insight into current research regarding how water reservoirs are affected by sediment, now and in a future climate - and how this can affect different types of services reservoirs provide including energy production, says Alena Bartosova, project manager and head of the Environment and Climate Section of the Hydrology Research Unit at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) who is an expert on water quality modeling with 30 years of experience in watershed and impact assessments. The webinars were also an opportunity for the participants to influence future climate services by providing input on what they as users need to be helped in their operations.  The Webinars: #1                        Climate impact indicators and insights for hydropower from interconnected energy systems: A pan-European perspective (March 2nd) #2                        Hydrological climate services and ecological impacts: insights from a coastal use case (March 16th) #3                        Hydro-climatic change and sediment dynamics: Insight from two hydropower use cases (March 23rd) Webinar #1: Climate impact indicators and insights for hydropower from interconnected energy systems: A pan-European perspective Speakers: Jing Hu from Utrecht University is a researcher in energy system analysis and modelling and energy meteorology. He reported on the contribution of hydropower to adequacy and balance of European power system under future climate conditions. René Capell is a hydrologist with expertise in catchment modeling and leads the Monitoring and Observation group within the Hydrological Research Unit at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). He presented European-scale model results of climate change impacts on hydrology and sediment transports. Conrad Brendel is a researcher in water quality modeling at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) who specializes in modeling sediment fluxes and their impacts on hydropower reservoirs. He served on the panel of subject matter experts and participate in the discussions. Webinar #2: Hydrological climate services and ecological impacts: Insights from a coastal use case Speakers: Moa Edman from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) is an expert in coastal zone modelling. She talked about how a changed climate can affect the marine environment. Special focus was on the Orust-Tjörn fjord system on the Swedish west coast, but also differences and similarities to other sites along the Swedish coast was discussed. Johan Strömqvist is a hydrologist with expertise in water quality modelling at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). He presented current and future riverine inputs of water flow, nutrients and suspended sediments to the Swedish west coast affecting the Orust-Tjörn area. Bengt Karlson is a biological oceanographer/marine biologist…