Drought, Climate Change, Natural Hazards

This year’s field trip for the master’s program in hydrology offered students a unique opportunity to experience hydrological topics firsthand in the field. The trip took them to the headwaters of the Danube, Rhine, and Rhône, where participants were able to experience hydrology up close. Topics covered included:

• Record-low water levels in Lake Constance
• Glacier retreat in the Alps
• Increasing risk of landslides and flash floods
• Climate-related changes in water availability.
• Potential and challenges of hydropower use
• Changes in river basins over geological time scales

The field trip enabled students to combine theoretical knowledge with practical observations and to develop a deeper understanding of the complex interactions between climate, geology, and the water cycle.Special thanks go to the sponsors, the Society of Friends and Supporters of TUD, the Foundation for the Promotion of the“Zunker–Busch–Luckner Scientific School,” as well as Illwerke VKW AG and the Lake Research Institute.