CRossWATER: transboundary groundwater management for a climate-resilient water supply in the European City of Görlitz-Zgorzelec

Funded by

European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg) under the Poland - Saxony Program 2021-2027

Duration

2025 - 2027

Project description

Like many regions in Saxony, the European City of Görlitz-Zgorzelec will face major challenges in terms of a secure water supply in the coming years. This is due to regional climatic changes coupled with an increasing demand for water. As has already been observed in recent years, changes in precipitation distribution with less rainfall during the growing season and an increase in both the number and duration of extreme events, such as droughts or floods, are to be expected in Saxony in the future. This is accompanied by a regional reduction in groundwater recharge, falling groundwater levels, reduced groundwater supply as well as temporary contamination of groundwater resources. On the other hand, there is an increasing demand for water due to the establishment of water-intensive production processes or an increasing need for irrigation in agriculture. In order to be able to guarantee a modern, secure and economical water supply in the future, regional water suppliers are forced to adapt the management of their catchment areas so that they are resilient to these changes and challenges. In preparation for these adaptations, it is essential to have detailed knowledge of the individual components of the water balance of the respective catchment areas in order to have a better understanding of the system and to know where adjustments or optimizations can be made.

The aim of the project is therefore to develop technical solutions, strategies and action plans to increase the climate resilience of the European City of Görlitz-Zgorzelec to improve the security of the water supply and to ensure the sustainable use of the cross-border groundwater system. Therfore, it is first necessary to evaluate and assess the available geological, hydrological, hydrochemical and meteorological data and information for the entire drinking water catchment area of the European City of Görlitz-Zgorzelec. In addition, the existing quantitative and qualitative monitoring network is to be upgraded and expanded as a basis for a better understanding of the system. However, the monitoring networks of the water suppliers in Görlitz and Zgorzelec have developed independently of each other in the past. As a result, there are currently considerable differences between the two monitoring systems in terms of the technical requirements and the quality of the data collected. In order to eliminate existing deficits and to obtain reliable and representative data, a joint monitoring network of comparable technical quality is to be set up on the German and Polish side. This should ensure that the cross-border groundwater system and the associated surface waters can be investigated and monitored together in a quantitatively and qualitatively representative manner. A (geo)information system for the central processing, management and visualization of measurement data and information for all project participants is to be developed and implemented in parallel for the communication and exchange of the data, information and findings collected in the future. In addition, a local and regional groundwater model is to be developed for the digital representation of the entire cross-border groundwater system, taking into account the associated surface waters. These models should be able to depict the site-specific, physical and chemical processes. This will make it technically possible to forecast and investigate the future effects of climate change on the local water supply. Based on this, a risk-based assessment of water quantity and water quality will be carried out for the water supply systems of the two cities. This can then serve as a reliable decision-making basis for the development of proposals for the optimization of existing technical and non-technical measures. Feasibility studies will be carried out for selected adaptation measures in the water supply systems of the two cities using model simulations and pilot tests. The knowledge gained with regard to technical solutions, strategies and action plans for adaptation to climate change will be summarized in a guideline to facilitate their implementation in the water management practice of the European City of Görlitz-Zgorzelec. In addition, training courses for the technical and administrative staff of the relevant institutions will be organized and carried out to ensure the sustainability of the project results.

The technical management of the project team and processing of the relevant project tasks lies with the Institute of Groundwater Management, supported by the "Core Facility Environmental Analytics" equipment center and the Institute of Water Chemistry for environmental analytics with a focus on trace substances. Other external project partners are:

University of Silesia in Katowice

City of Görlitz

City of Zgorzelec

Görlitz public utility company

Zgorzelec waterworks

Further information and news at:

CRossWater LinkedIn channel

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