Author Index – Volume 17

Authors Index

Author Index – Volume 17     

SedAlp – Sedimentmanagement in alpinen Einzugsgebieten

The primary goal of SedAlp is to contribute to the integrated management of sediment transport in Alpine basins, which involves effectively reducing sediment-related risks, promoting the enhancement of riverine ecosystems and reducing the impacts of hydropower plants, while balancing the implementation of EU Directives and national laws (e.g. RES, WFD, NGP etc.). The project includes 34 pilot measures undertaken in various representative Alpine river basins of all countries involved and contributes in particular to the use of sediment and wood transfer monitoring in a large set of Alpine catchments, an approach that can help us to better understand the spatial and temporal variability of processes and to provide planning, predictive and warning tools, as well as sediment and wood management recommendations to minimize risks. The project covers the development of both strategic policy and implementation actions to improve sediment continuity in Alpine river basins. In doing so, SedAlp takes into account the geological and climatic variability across the Alps, which can produce complex patterns of sediment transfer, while also identifying those management conflicts shared by different regions.     

Spurenstoffe in der aquatischen Umwelt – Einleitung

The occurrence, effects and significance of organic trace substances in aquatic environments have been the topic of discussions for a wide range of scientific and administrative experts in recent years. These widely used compounds can occur in very small concentrations in aquatic environments; they also have broad activity spectrums and diverse environmental impacts, making this a highly complex topic. Because the various specialist fields, such as chemical safety and water protection, are now facing a situation in which the same substance is relevant in a wide variety of different areas, they are increasingly combining and coordinating their respective established approaches. This article provides a basis for dealing with the topic of organic trace substances in aquatic environments by defining terms and drawing attention to the significance and use of these substances in society. It also presents background information and potential professional approaches to the subject. It offers an overview of the main topics of current discussions, which will be dealt with in detail in further articles.     

Hochwasserschutz Antiesen – Rückhaltebecken Hof

Since being put into service, the Hof Flood Retention Reservoir has been filled by 3 major flooding events in different seasons. The damages expected in connection with these 3 floods for the downstream inhabited areas, above all in the city Ried im Innkreis and in the municipality of Aurolzmünster, were completely avoided, a testament to the reservoir’s performance.     

Parallelwelten – Informelle Arbeit in der Abfallwirtschaft

Rapid urbanization, increasing amounts of waste, and municipalities lacking in both financial and personal resources are characteristic of waste management in low-income countries. “Formal” waste management, represented by national and regional authorities and private companies, is not in a position to provide adequate waste collection and treatment for the local population. Burning waste in backyard fires or tossing it in roadside ditches or “wild dumps” are common practices. But in addition to the formal system, which is unable to cope with the current situation, there is a parallel and informal system that closes the gaps in the collection, processing, treatment and disposal of waste. Informal activities in waste management have become increasingly important in implementation projects and science in recent years. As informal workers are, by definition, not keeping records of their activities, their contribution is not recognized, and the workers remain invisible. The important contribution of the informal sector should not be underestimated, as a major share of waste recycling activities are carried out informally, providing secondary raw materials to local markets. In many cases the informal workers are not recognized as having a key role in waste management systems and run the risk of losing their livelihoods thanks to modernization processes. Informal sector activities take place not only in low-income countries but also in Central and Eastern European countries. However, these activities are carried out against the backdrop of a functioning waste management system and on a legal basis.     

Hydrological Modeling of Zarqa River Basin – Jordan Using the Hydrological Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) Model

Jordan is an arid country with limited water resources, so there is a chronic need to study and understand its hydrology at the watershed scale which will eventually help in achieving good management for the existing scarce water resources. The studied watershed was the Zarqa River Basin which is considered as the largest watershed in Jordan. The objective of this study was to calibrate the hydrological component of the Hydrological Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) model for the Zarqa River Basin. The calibrated model could be used in a later stage to examine the impact of different management practices and climate change scenarios on the water resources in the basin. The calibration of the HSPF water quantity parameters was aided by GIS and by the automatic calibration model (PEST). The automatic calibration was done for the years 1988–1991 and the validation was done for the years 1996–1998. The coefficient of determination, R ² for the calibration and verification years of the monthly flows was 0.81 and 0.76, respectively.