ALP-WATER-SCARCE

The main challenges of this project are to create local Early Warning Systems against Water Scarcity in the Alps based on sound and perennial monitoring and modelling and anchored strongly and actively within a Stakeholder Forum linked across comparative and contrasting regions across the Alps. The Early Warning System is based on the linkage and improvement of field monitoring and assemblage of qualitative and quantitative data derived from anthropogenic water use in selected pilot regions in France, Italy, Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland. The aims are to implement water management at the short term (annual) scale as well as the long term (future scenarios) scale based on modelling under climate change and anthropogenic scenarios. Future water shortages should be prognosed and prevented by innovative measures of mitigation and adaptation. Awareness raising and stakeholder interaction will form an important part of problem identification, participation in the project, dissemination of results and implementation of new approaches.

The 5th and last General Meeting took place. A 3rd project newsletter was published and disseminated in 5 languages. A new stakeholder questionnaire was distributed to collect information on the perception of water scarcity. Workpackage 5 (water system characterization) is finished. A comprehensive report can be downloaded from the project’s website. A scenario guideline was developed to calculate the future development of the water resources in Pilot Sites. Irrigation norms are published on the website of the Slovenian Chamber for agriculture to optimize the water use for agriculture. A prototype of dynamic scenario catalogue for drought conditions was developed for the Province of Carinthia. First agreements between hydropower companies and the Province of Trento were reached to re-use turbinated water for a ditch network to maintain these ecosystems. The development of Early Warning Systems is ongoing for Arly and Piave and the Province of Carinthia.