Dry rivers – how water bodies can transform under climate change

Temporary rivers have hardly played a role in Germany to date. However, climate change is increasingly leading to many small and medium-sized rivers that previously carried water all year round now carrying little or no water in certain seasons. This has far-reaching consequences for aquatic ecosystems and other aspects of water use. This problem has long been a reality in semi-arid and arid regions, where extensive experience and knowledge have been gained, particularly in South Africa.

Dr. M. Avenant and her team at the Centre for Environmental Management (CEM) from the University of the Free State (UFS) have outstanding expertise in the field of temporary watercourses. To benefit from this knowledge, learn more about the local aquatic systems and plan joint research projects, Dr. D. Jungmann (Institute of Hydrobiology) and Dr. H. Börnick (Institute of Water Chemistry) visited the CEM in Bloemfontein from 14 to 24 July 2025. Dr. A. Lorenz (University of Duisburg-Essen), an expert in aquatic ecology, also took part in the stimulating technical discussions, debates and excursions to seasonally drying rivers, underscoring the interdisciplinary nature of the topic.

The close relationship between TU Dresden (Department of Hydrosciences) and the CEM, which has existed for many years, was further strengthened during this visit.

All programme items – including meetings with farmers, water suppliers and scientists, as well as site visits – were perfectly prepared by the CEM in terms of content, excellently organised and financially supported.