Integral River Management

The majestic Rhine River is a vital lifeline that meanders through multiple regions in North-West Europe. As the relentless impact of climate change reshapes our water systems, it becomes increasingly apparent that our rivers, like the river Rhine, need innovative solutions to navigate these impacts. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have proven to be a sustainable means of fending off those challenges. This pilot project embarks on a mission to revolutionize river management with a large-scale integral, system based, and future-proof plan. 

Applying NbS to the Rhine River

This pilot project focuses on essential aspects of Nature-based Solutions, such as adapting to changing summer bed geometry, lowering floodplains to counteract intensified flooding, implementing sediment nourishments for sustainable riverbeds, and enhancing discharge capacity within the floodplains to cope with increased runoff.

Collaboration and knowledge dissemination

Collaboration is the linchpin of this endeavor. Rijkswaterstaat actively collaborates with a various stakeholders, experts, and local communities. Recognizing that resilience to climate change requires a collective effort. 

The end goal

The pilot will result in NbS strategies that will play a vital role in adapting to climate change. These strategies will then provide recommendations to other water authorities and shaping long-term plans, thereby specifically focusing on climate adaptation.