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Microscale influence on runoff

Project title:  Microscale influence on runoff
Project team: UL FGG:
Nejc BezakMojca ŠrajKlaudija LebarKatarina ZabretMateja KlunSimon RusjanMatej RadinjaMojca Vilfan , Andrej VidmarMatjaž Mikoš,  Tamara KuzmanićMark Bryan Alivio,
Duration:

36 Months

1.1.2023-31.12.2025

Project code:

N2-0313

Lead partner: Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana (for Slovenia)
Project leader Nejc Bezak (UL FGG)
Other project partner’s organization:

University of Sopron, Faculty of Forestry, Institute of Geomatics and Civil Engineering

Source of finance:

Javna Agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost RS

 

 

Key words:

precipitation; runoff; floods; experimental catchments; forest

 

Description:

Forests and urban trees are among the key elements of the water cycle and have been recognized as an important component in climate change mitigation. Forests perform important buffering functions, such as interception of precipitation, water retention, and photosynthesis. In the future, changes in hydrological processes and land use driven by climate change and urbanization are expected. Climate projections are in some areas predicting more intense rainfall events as well as longer dry periods. In addition, urbanization and, on the other hand, reforestation considerably change the hydrological properties and responses of an area. To be able to successfully mitigate those changes, an in-depth knowledge about various influences on the water balance, e.g., runoff and related hydrological processes is needed. Runoff is the result of complex interactions between various processes, usually described using the transformation of rainfall into runoff. Vegetation plays an important role in the runoff generation processes, especially by reducing and delaying the peak discharge values.

Main goals:

The proposed project aims to investigate how the runoff and related hydrological processes (HP) (infiltration, interception etc.) are impacted by land use under different climate conditions. Measurement networks with good spatial and temporal coverage will be established in seven plots and small catchments in Slovenia and Hungary. Database of obtained data will provide an insight into individual runoff characteristics and related HP as response to precipitation events. In the research project we aim to harmonize the data collection and preprocessing, as well as exchange of the data and knowledge among the participating research organisations. These are also the emphasized objectives of the Experimental and Representative Basins association, where associated research organisations are actively involved. By establishing similar measurements in urban and natural areas, differences and similarities of hydrological responses will be evaluated.

The main research question of the proposed project is how rainfall interception and transpiration influence the runoff and related hydrological processes, both quantitatively and temporally.

Project work packages:

WP1 – project management,
WP2 – measurements and database,
WP3 – data analysis,
WP4 – synthesis and dissemination

Project meetings:

Kick-off meeting was organized in Sopron on the 13th of June 2023

Kick-off meeting was organized in Sopron, field trip.

Regular monthly online meetings were organized in years 2023 and 2024.

Kick-off meeting was organized in Sopron which included a trip to the woods.

Project dissemination:

Several outputs were prepared in the scope of the project:

– EGU 2023 conference abstract (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-8643).

-EGU 2023 conference abstract (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-3140).

-Danube conference 2023 conference abstract (ter povezava: https://rivers.boku.ac.at/timetable/event/dc-1-4-flood-drought-water-cycle-and-climate-change/).

-Several conference papers were prepared for the Hydrocarpath conference (ter povezava: https://hydrocarpath.nyme.hu/index.php/21986/?&L=4)

-Paper about urban soil water content (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2023-0007).

-Paper about kinetic energy of raindrops (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127971).

-Paper about impact of urban trees on runoff and rainfall intensitiy (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2023.109727).

-Paper about August 2023 flood in Slovenia and flood mitigation (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-3885-2023). 

-Paper about role of vegetation in regulating nitrate flushing (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162475).

-Paper about infiltration in urban park (ter povezava: https://doi.org/10.3390/w15203635).

-Interview about flood mitigation (ter povezava: https://znanost.sta.si/3202609/na-ekstremne-vremenske-dogodke-se-bo-moralo-prilagoditi-tudi-vodarstvo-in-okoljsko-inzenirstvo).

-Interview about flood mitigation (ter povezava: https://www.delo.si/novice/obnavljamo-slovenijo/take-vode-niti-protipoplavni-ukrepi-ne-zadrzijo/).

-Round-table about rebuilding after floods (ter povezava: https://znanost.sta.si/3211146/na-okrogli-mizi-sta-za-premisljeno-obnovo-po-ujmi).

-IWRA webinar about floods (ter povezava: https://iwrmactionhub.org/node/3201). 

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