R&D annual report Deltares 2009

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R&D Highlights 2009

PO Box 177 2600 MH Delft The Netherlands T+31 (0)88 335 82 73 info@deltares.nl www.deltares.nl R&D Highlights 2009

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Dear reader,

It is my pleasure and honour to present the Deltares report on the highlights of its research activities in 2009. More than 800 people are engaged at Deltares in high-grade research and consultancy in the field of delta issues. This research focuses on life, work and recreation in sustainable ways in low-lying, densely populated areas constituting the interface between land and sea: enabling delta life. This requires not only technical skills and a thorough knowledge of the functioning of the natural system and its response to human activities and environmental change, but also a broad interdisciplinary view of the functions of these systems and their value to society. I hope this report shows that Deltares and its partners are on the way to establishing that interdisciplinary approach.

I am proud to be able to present this collection of high-lights, which were produced in both subsidised research programmes and commissioned contract work. If a project description stirs your interest, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Huib de Vriend, Science Director

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Why wasn’t more knowledge getting through to the end user? A part of the answer to this “innovation paradox” is the way the knowledge infrastructure works. It was concluded that there should be a much more direct connection between knowledge institutes and the corporate sector, and that the latter needed to be encouraged to use new knowledge.

The 2009 R&D Annual Report

One of the Deltares aims following on from this “connection” between the public and private sectors is to make R&D results more accessible. Many roads lead to Rome, and Deltares has numerous resources at its disposal for disseminating this knowledge: scientifi c publications, technical publications, reports, the website, wikis, communities of practice, courses and soft ware. This R&D Highlights report for 2009 presents a selection of the R&D conducted in 2009 and it is structured on the lines of the social issues that are central to the Deltares mission. To enhance interactivity, one or more contact persons are listed for each project. People interested in more details should approach them.

A PDF version of these R&D Highlights 2009 can be downloaded from www.deltares.nl.

Deltares in

the world

Deltares and its predecessors have been involved in R&D on Delta issues for more than 80 years. There was an important transformation in 2003 when the government found that too little fundamental research was being transformed into innovative applications that move the Dutch knowledge economy forwards.

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Demand-driven

In the policy memorandum “Kennis voor de Samenleving” (Knowledge for Society, 2005), the government emphasises the need for a process of demand programming and fi nancing for applied research at the Dutch knowledge institutes like Deltares. Demand programming ensures that there is more focus and quality in the research programmes and it results in a closer match between this research and strategic questions from government, the corporate sector and civil society. This is important to alleviate the innovation paradox and to enhance scientifi c research for society in general.

In the course of elaborating this ambition, the government gave strategic themes and social and innovation challenges a leading role in the research programmes. This focus on strategic themes should also extend the knowledge networks of the knowledge institutes, both at home and abroad. In essence, this results in a process in which the responsible ministries, in collaboration with the corporate sector, civil society and knowledge institutes, formulate the research issues within the parameters of the strategic themes.

The research programmes are adapted accordingly and the government fi nancing is linked to these research programmes. In 2006, the government formulated a number of strategic themes, including the associated social challenges or sub-themes, focusing expressly on the development of the technology and knowledge positions of the knowledge institutes, both within and across the themes.

In the new approach, the government directs the process of demand programming. The basic principle is that the process takes place interactively, with the demand side and fi nanciers determining the knowledge and research issues. The issues are formulated in “knowledge arenas” that include the relevant stakeholders from the demand and supply sides. These arenas

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act as dynamic networks for an open innovation process. The corporate sector has a clear role in the process of demand programming. The government asks the corporate sector to participate actively in the knowledge arenas and, in that way, to make a contribution to steering the applied research fi nanced by the government.

In order to secure the demand programming, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management established a Council for Delta Research (Raad voor het Deltaonderzoek, RDO) with members from the government, knowledge institutes and the private sector. The council has defi ned the strategic knowledge and innovation issues with respect to water and subsoil in her Strategic Document (2009). The issues have been allocated to fi ve themes:

• Safety - Living safely in the delta

• Healthy water and soil systems – Areas with quality • Availability of water and soil systems - Scarce resources • Living and building in the delta - Lack of space

• Integrated spatial development

The Deltares R&D programme has been organised along the lines of these fi ve themes. The themes have been broken down further into research lines known as “road maps”.

Road maps

The strategic social themes and issues in the themes are elaborated using what we call “road maps”. A road map is a way of planning the locations for the various projects in a research fi eld. Research conducted outside Deltares can also play a role. There are two axes on road maps: the horizontal axis states the time (with a time horizon of a number of years); the vertical axis presents the type of research, evolving from fundamental research (usually at a university, for example in the form of doctoral research), passing on through strategic research and

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to private parties (engineering fi rms or contractors) and/or that are necessary as support for the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (through specialist consultancy or service level agreements).

The routes set out in road maps make it clear how a particular subject can grow in the course of a few years into a “real” application and provide an answer to a knowledge or innovation question. They also make it clear whether, at any given moment, there is a reasonable mix of fundamental, strategic and applied research, and application in various processes. Fundamental developments dating back a number of years are cashed in and the seeds are planted for the applications of the future (a few years hence). A pp lic at io n S ol ut io ns P ro du ct s S tr at eg ic an d ap pl ie d re se ar ch 2009 2010 2011 2012 Fu nd .s tr at . re se ar ch S O TO /S LA M ar ke t models tool kit guideline Deltadikes Concept implementation Delta Committee recommendation

morphology guideline/num. model

wave forms wave forms

validation by measurements at extreme high water

guideline/ num. model morphology Models tool kit “Deltaplan” scenarios elaborated PhD Ensemble simulations Deltadike design scenario development

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Facts and fi gures

Deltares brings knowledge about subsurface, soil and water systems together under a single roof. We use this knowledge in our own deltas and abroad. Translating science into solutions for delta-related issues is the core of the Deltares activities. The yearly turnover of Deltares is about 100 M€, half of which is generated by R&D.

The activities range from short- and long-term projects to targeted research, and include multidisciplinary policy and management studies. Deltares is also known for its unique experimental facilities and its powerful soft ware, most of which is developed and validated in-house.

Advisory Council

To advise the management about the research programme and the strategic positioning of the research, Deltares established an external advisory council with representatives from the knowledge world and from the commercial sector. The issues dealt with by the advisory council are of a long-term nature. They include the question of where Deltares should invest to continue to fulfi l its role, and which knowledge issues should be addressed in order to produce answers a few years hence.

The members of the advisory council are:

• Professor Jacob Fokkema (chairman), Delft University of Technology

• Piet Besselink MSc, DHV Holding BV

• Professor Rietje van Dam-Mieras, Leiden University • Professor Aad van der Horst, Delta Marine Consultants • Cees Slingerland MSc, Environmental Sciences Group,

Wageningen University and Research Centre • Arnold Steenbakker MSc, Fugro N.V.

• Professor Marcel Stive, Delft University of Technology • Professor Bert van der Zwaan, Utrecht University

PhD 17% Scientific 42% Technical 20% Administrative 20% Number of employees 900 (850 full time equivalent)

Male 74% Female

26%

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in knowledge and technology in the area of water and the subsurface. The basis and the source for answers to knowledge issues is disciplinary knowledge. This basis must be maintained at an international standard. Together with universities, Deltares is investing in fundamental strategic research and networks of contacts in delta-technology disciplines.

Deltares focuses on water and the subsurface as systems, on measuring them, on civil engineering, and on human sciences. A large number of disciplines and sub-disciplines are relevant for the Deltares fi eld of activities. The employees of Deltares, with their personal commitment to their own fi eld of expertise, support the disciplinary framework. Deltares facilitates disciplinary activities in an organisational structure of seven disciplinary clusters, each of them co-chaired by a member of the scientifi c board and a Deltares knowledge manager. • System informatics

measuring and monitoring

mathematics and information technology

• Environmental sciences and engineering

chemistry and microbiology ecology

eco-engineering

• Geosciences and engineering

soil mechanics and soil construction geology

• Hydro- and morphodynamics

hydrodynamics

sediment transport and morphology

• Hydrological sciences hydrology geohydrology 41 Conference papers 188 Journal articles 125 Peer reviewed journal papers 40 Publications 104 System Informatics

94 Environmental sciences and engineering 58 Geo sciences and engineering 122 Hydro- and morphodynamics 59 Hydrological sciences 49 Hydraulic and geo-engineering 74 Social sciences and policy analysis Employees according to primary expertise

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• Hydraulic and geo-engineering

foundation technology and underground construction hydro-engineering

• Social sciences and policy analysis

risk management spatial sciences

life sciences and social sciences.

Cooperation with the universities is established through chairs and other appointments, and joint R&D projects conducted by PhD students. About 70 doctorate students are acquainted with Deltares in some way, as are 14 part-time professors and 14 university teachers. 19 doctorate students completed their dissertations in 2009.

Deltares works with universities to invest in knowledge centres at the universities of Delft , Utrecht, Twente and Wageningen. Current examples are the Geo-Engineering Knowledge Centre at Delft University of Technology, the Risk Management Knowledge Centre in conjunction with the University of Twente, the GeoSciences Knowledge Centre with Utrecht University and the Ground Knowledge Centre with Utrecht University and the Wageningen University and Research Centre.

PhD-students by university 31 Delft University of Technology

9 Utrecht University 8 Twente University 6 VU University Amsterdam 5 Wageningen University and

Research Center (WUR) 4 Unesco-IHE 6 Other (Netherlands) 3 Other (Abroad)

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function of Deltares as a knowledge centre. This Board consists of ten Deltares members of staff with international reputations who monitor the quality of the knowledge activities at Deltares and provide the management with advice – both upon request and at the Board’s own initiative – about the research programme, strategic investments, the discipline groups and the relationships with the universities. The members of the Scientifi c Board are:

• Professor Frans Barends • Professor Eelco van Beek • Professor Marc Bierkens • Professor Remi Laane • Professor Arthur Mynett • Professor Huub Rijnaarts • Professor Dano Roelvink • Professor Frits van Tol • Dr. Rob Uittenbogaard • Professor Huib de Vriend

Facilities

The ability to break down natural processes into basic processes using a system approach, and to conduct relevant experiments, is needed if we are to meet demands for greater accuracy and reliability from society as a whole.

So Deltares cannot fulfi l its role as a knowledge institute without “cutting-edge” facilities. These facilities are: physical modelling installations, test sites in the fi eld and numerical model systems. The research programme allocates budgets for research at and with these facilities.

GeoLab clusters facilities and expertise for research into soil and soil-related materials: laboratories for the advanced measurement of soil parameters, data-handling tools and

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model-research facilities. The GeoCentrifuge is one of the largest geotechnical centrifuges in the world specialising in soft soils. These facilities are mainly used in the road maps of the themes “Building on and in soft soils” and “Safety of coastal, estuarine and riverine areas”.

HydroLab includes a cluster of facilities for research into water-related topics. The model research takes place in three halls (the saltwater/freshwater facility, the channels facility and the currents facility) and the Delta Flume. These hydraulic laboratories are used in the road maps in the core domains “Safety of coastal, estuarine and riverine areas”, “Water management and water usage” and “Hydraulic Engineering”. In 2009 a grant was awarded for a complete renewal of the Hydrolab facilities, culminating in a new Delta Flume at the Deltares premises in Delft .

MilieuLab includes a cluster of facilities for research into hydrochemistry-, geochemistry- and microbiology-related processes that are important for delta areas. The environmental facilities in Utrecht are shared with the University in Utrecht and TNO. These facilities are used in the road maps in the core domains “Water quality and aquatic ecology” and “Quality of soils and related materials”.

Field labs

Measurements in the fi eld are, ultimately, the “proof of the pudding” for predictive calculations. Field laboratories are of pre-eminent importance in this respect and they are therefore the second cornerstone of the innovation triangle. The work here involves physical soil and water experiments monitored using geophysical measuring equipment in the fi eld. Examples include experiments in dikes (the Smart Dike and the Live Dike), on the coast (Ecobeach), in surface water (Vlietlanden) and the sea (Eastern Scheldt). There are also chemical and microbiological

Geocentrifuge test IJkdijk

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experiments with SmartSoils innovations (strengthening dikes, sealing underground leaks).

ICT facilities

The third component of the facilities consists of the soft ware development platforms with a shared architecture. This facility is vital for the development of new dynamic modelling methods and as a basis for a large number of applications. Soft ware plays a key role in the dissemination of the very latest knowledge to a wide range of users.

The Geosoft ware Platform is used for the development of functionality in geomechanical and geotechnical soft ware (in the well-known M series). The Hydrosoft ware Platform is used for the development of hydrological, geohydrological and hydraulic soft ware: Delft 3D, Sobek, Modﬂ ow. The Environmental Soft ware

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New knowledge acquired during disciplinary research and in various road maps is transformed as much as possible into new functionality for soft ware on the platforms.

GeoBrain/DeltaBrain, fi nally, combines a range of knowledge sources in the shape of expertise (data, models) with knowledge based on experience. The unique combination of “hard” (objective) measurements and computer models and “soft ” (subjective) experience and expert knowledge makes, with adaptations for particular applications, a contribution to risk management and decision support for delta issues. It constitutes the virtual and life-long learning and working environment for present and future generations of delta engineers. GeoBrain is the part of DeltaBrain that focuses on geo-engineering and there is already a range of applications here.

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background

Protection against ﬂ oods is the day-to-day, ongoing and primary concern of us all. The issue, too, is how to maintain safety in this area in the long term, particularly taking into account increasing socio-economic pressure on the available space and the capital invested in this country. Water safety and spatial quality in our country require answers at a range of temporal and spatial scales.

In the past, water safety policies in the Netherlands have been based primarily on the construction of water defences: structures to limit the risk of ﬂ ooding, even at extremely high water levels. This approach makes it essential to assess the quality of the defence structures and to understand the associated failure mechanisms in dikes. It is characterised by the restricted spatial and time scales.

More and more, attention is focusing on the combination of both ﬂ ooding probability and secondary damage: the ﬂ ood risk.

scope

The low altitude of the Netherlands means that protection against ﬂ ooding is a permanent concern. Soil subsidence and climate change are exacerbating the problem. In addition, we are making more and more demands on the spatial quality of the country. Smart dikes, improvements in our understanding of the real strength of, and loads on, the dikes, the relaxation of restrictions on water ﬂ ows, warning systems and non-technical alternatives in the eventuality that things go wrong aft er all: these things make up the heart of the research programme.

Safety – living

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So water safety cannot be dissociated from spatial and socio-economic developments in the hinterland. Requirements in the area of water defences, water management, the economy, transport, nature, recreation and housing demand a coherent, integrated approach. This amounts to a more large-scale approach in both space and time.

The ongoing increase in the fl ow of data does not make decision-making easier, especially when a calamity is imminent. Further development of the general tools and techniques used in operational fl ood forecasting systems for rivers and coastal systems is needed to improve the quality of the forecasts. Improvements in the quality of fl ood forecasting should lead to better risk analysis (e.g. dike strength) and improved adaptation times in relation to protection strategies and emergency measures.

In the coastal zone, sand is the vital functional element. The current coastal management policy uses replenishment to keep the amount of sand in the coastal area up to standard, maintaining or even enhancing safety in a natural way, and responding to the consequences of rising sea levels sustainably and ﬂ exibly.

The road maps in this core domain are New standardisation,

Real-time fl ood risk management, Coastal systems behaviour, System tools for preparation and response and Innovative design concepts for water defences.

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From river valley to mud

ﬂ ats area

Research carried out by Utrecht University, Deltares and TNO shows that, between 8500 and 8300 years ago, the sea level around the Netherlands rose by 2 m per century. The sea level at that time was calculated by dating the deep-lying submerged layers of peat in the Rotterdam area. The study has important implications in light of the rapid rate of sea level rise expected in coming centuries.

The rapid rate of sea level rise was primarily the result of the sudden collapse of ice dams in North America, behind which large glacial lakes had formed. As a result, the sea level rose rapidly, the North Atlantic became less salty and the warm Gulf Stream was interrupted. This was followed by a cold period around 8200 years ago, which is known as ’the 8.2 event’. We measured a total rise of 4 ± 0.5 m in roughly two centuries. We could split this rise in two: 2 m of the rise would have occurred anyway due to steady melting of the ice sheets, but the remaining 2 m is directly linked to the drainage events in North America.

m.p.hijma@arch.leidenuniv.nl +31 (0)71 527 1680

kim.cohen@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7820

Example of the studied sediment. The organic layer in the middle of the picture was formed just before the drowning occurred

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Further reading

• M. Hijma & K.Cohen, Timing and magnitude of the sea-level jump preluding the 8200 yr event. Geology 38 (2010) 275-278

• M.P. Hijma, From river valley to estuary: the early-mid Holocene transgression of the Rhine-Meuse valley, PhD-thesis, Utrecht University 2009

This research is important because it reveals the volume of water which entered the North Atlantic with the draining of the glacial lakes. Climate models will now be able to more eff ectively reproduce the 8.2 event, and it will be much easier to test the sensitivity of the warm Gulf Stream to an increased volume of freshwater. In the near future, there is a chance the North Atlantic could again become less salty due to the increased rate at which the Greenland ice cap is melting. In theory, this could again interrupt the warm Gulf Stream or cause it to become less powerful, resulting in a very cold period, primarily in North-West Europe. In response to this theory, climate models are being implemented to determine whether this will in fact occur. The new results will increase the reliability of the scenario predictions. The rapid rate of sea level rise left the Netherlands submerged in a fairly short period of time. Before 8500 years ago, the landscape around Rotterdam was characterised by a river valley. However, 500 years later, this had completely changed and the entire area consisted largely of mud ﬂ ats, comparable to the Wadden Sea area nowadays, through which the Rhine and Meuse rivers ﬂ owed. The submersion of the western region of the Netherlands between 10000 and 6000 years ago has been described in detail in a PhD thesis.

Riverbed dug out by the sudden draining of glacial Lake Agassiz, about 10.000 years ago (Photo: Jim Brekke at www.fl ickr.com)

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Organic geochemical

assessment of the onset of

an Oceanic Anoxic Event

During the Jurassic, abrupt global warming of between 5 and 10˚C was associated with severe environmental change. Many organisms became extinct and the global carbon cycle was thrown off -balance. One of the most intriguing eff ects was that the oxygen content of the oceans was drastically reduced. These intervals of reduced oxygen content are now known as oceanic anoxic events (OAE).

OAEs are associated with periods of global warming and have occurred a few times in the history of the Earth. In the current study the focus is specifi cally on the Toarcian OAE, a well-documented OAE from the early Jurassic (~183 Ma). In the Netherlands, the associated organic-rich black sediments are known as the Posidonia Shale, the most important oil source rock in the Netherlands.

A geochemical study was conducted on a cored Posidonia Shale section and underlying sediments from a well located in the southern North Sea off shore the Netherlands. Abhinav Sing Gill (Utrecht University) carried out some of this study as part of a Master’s thesis.

Samples were subjected to a variety of analytical techniques, including total carbon and sulphur (CS) analysis, rock eval pyrolysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and carbon and sulphur isotope analysis. Furthermore, detailed organic geochemical studies have recently revealed the presence of molecules (“biomarkers”) that derive from green sulphur bacteria, organisms that required both light and free hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), demonstrating that these anoxic conditions extended high into the upper water column.

Our data provides evidence that the establishment of these anoxic conditions is a gradual process: from sediment anoxic conditions in the ‘proto OAE’ into true anoxia within the Posidonia Shale. This is indicated by the depth profi le of most of the measured parameters. The values gradually increase in

harry.veld@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7161

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the underlying sediments with decreasing depth towards the Posidonia Shale. Within the Posidonia Shale the values of those parameters remain constant.

Another important event during the Toarcian was the negative shift in the carbon isotope values of 13_{C. The typical value of the}

carbon isotope ratio 13_C/12_{C of marine organic matter deviates}

strongly in the black shale facies of the Posidonia Shale. The cause of this shift has been a matter of intense debate and many hypotheses have been formulated for its explanation, but this remains an open question. Most of the sections containing the Posidonia Shale record this shift . This confi rms that the OAE may have been a global event.

Our current research focuses on, among other things, the question of whether the ‘proto OAE’ development can be recognised throughout the basin.

Further reading

Abhinav Sing Gill, Organic geochemical assessment of the Posidonia shale in the Netherlands, Master’s Thesis, Utrecht University, 2007 Distribution of the Posidonia Shale in the subsurface of the Netherlands S R P O N M K J H H G F E D D D D B A

±

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Coastal modelling research

with the USGS

Since 2002, Deltares and the US Geological Survey (USGS) have been collaborating on coastal morphodynamic research. The present USGS cooperative agreement is linked to the Coastal and Marine Geology Program that is operated from science centres in Santa Cruz/Menlo Park (California), St. Petersburg (Florida) and Woods Hole (Massachusetts).

The overall purpose of the collaboration is to provide mutual benefi ts in coastal morphodynamic modelling in the broadest sense. Research topics include various coastal modelling studies such as sediment transport and morphological evolution in the Columbia River littoral cell, coastal hazards along the California Coast, the impact of extreme events such as hurricanes and tsunamis, and the eff ects of vegetation on hydrodynamics and sediment transport.

Broadly speaking, the USGS possesses the necessary data, while Deltares can supply the modelling soft ware and expertise. The many types of data are used to validate the numerical models to provide a better understanding of the natural system and

johan.boon@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8536 eelias@usgs.gov

Overview of nested model in the operational model framework Overview of nested model in the operational model framework

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anticipated long-term processes like sea level rise, and the consequences of human interventions like sand nourishment off shore or in gullies.

In the last few years, the collaboration greatly benefi ted from student exchanges at the MSc and PhD levels in close conjunction with Delft University and UNESCO-IHE.

One of the joint studies included in the collaboration is the Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project in Southern California. The USGS is leading the development of a modelling system for forecasting the impact of winter storms threatening the entire Southern California shoreline from Point Conception to the US-Mexican border. The modelling system, which runs in real-time or with prescribed scenarios, incorporates atmospheric information (wind and pressure fi elds) with a suite of state-of-the-art physical process models (tide, surge, and wave) to enable the detailed prediction of currents, wave height, wave run-up, and total water levels. Additional research-grade predictions of coastal ﬂ ooding, inundation, erosion, and cliff failure will be performed. Initial model testing, performance evaluation, and product development are focused on coastal-hazard hindcasts of selected historical winter storms, as well as additional severe winter-storm simulations based on statistical analyses of historical wave and water-level data. The coastal-hazards model design will also be appropriate for simulating the impact of storms in various sea level rise and climate-change scenarios.

Screen dump from the coastal hazard operational framework

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Mud Model for

Scheldt Estuary

The Scheldt estuary in the southwest of the Netherlands and in Belgium is tide-dominated. The estuary includes the entire gradient from fresh- to saltwater areas and it provides various habitats for marine ﬂ ora and fauna. In addition to these ecological values, the estuary is of major economic importance as it provides navigation routes to the ports of Antwerp, Gent, Terneuzen and Vlissingen. The frequent conﬂ icts between economic and environmental interests make the management of the estuary a complex task, leading to exceptional collaboration between the Dutch and Belgium governments. This resulted in the formulation of a Long-Term Vision (LTV) for the Scheldt estuary.

The LTV includes a bilateral agreement for joint fact-fi nding in a shared monitoring and research programme that started in 2005. The research programme focuses on the three goals of the LTV: safety, ecology and accessibility. It is conducted by Dutch and Flemish institutes working in concert, with Deltares as the principal representative of the Netherlands.

Under the LTV, ‘accessibility’ research has been ongoing since 2006 to understand the fi ne-sediment dynamics of the estuary. Turbidity aff ects ecological productivity and functioning, and harbour and fairway maintenance. It also has an aesthetic impact. The main result of this work has been a fi ne-sediment transport model for the Scheldt estuary. The model includes most of our present system understanding. Forcing factors such as tide, wind, waves and river discharge have all been included, either in schematised form or in full detail. A simulation period of up to one year is feasible, allowing for the inclusion of seasonal dynamics.

This model has been used to simulate a number of scenarios, including the deepening of the fairway, the extension of harbour basins and changes in dredging policy. One of the scenario

thijs.vankessel@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8239

Average mud concentration (mg/l) in the Scheldt, 1 October – 31 December 2006

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studies focused on maximum turbidity levels near Zeebrugge at the Scheldt estuary and at Antwerp. These maximum levels were reproduced by the model and it was confi rmed that these are natural features of the estuary and therefore not the result of dredging activities. Harbour maintenance does, however, cause human-induced turbidity ﬂ uctuations (both positive and negative).

The scenario studies also show that anthropogenic fl uctuations are small compared to the natural ones near Vlissingen and Terneuzen. Siltation fl ux in these harbours is small compared to the large fi ne-sediment fl ux through the estuary. Near Antwerp, anthropogenic fl uctuations become more signifi cant as the estuary narrows and the natural fl ux decreases.

Further work in 2010 includes the analysis of the harbour maintenance strategy at Zeebrugge and Antwerp and the continuation of remote sensing work to validate the spatial sediment distribution computed by the model. There is an important link with the research being conducted for the LTV ecology goal. The output of the fi ne-sediment model serves as input for the ecological model, which is still under construction.

Further reading • Scheldemonitor

(www.scheldemonitor.be) • Partners: Flanders

Hydraulics, IVM, NIOO Finance

TO Directie Zeeland, Waterdienst

Salinity (upper panel) and mud concentration (lower panel) in thalweg on 23/10/2006 8:00u between Vlissingen (0 km) and Rupelmonde (105 km)

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Modelling sand bars in

the Grand Canyon

Predicting bed topography changes in situations with complex 3D ﬂ ow fi elds is still virgin territory in river engineering. The recent developments in the Delft 3D soft ware have supplied a powerful tool for simulating the relevant processes. Relevant potential applications of this tool are bed topography in eddy zones in groyne fi elds, and the morphological impacts of groyne adaptations for ﬂ ood protection targets. The tool can also be used to study bar development caused by horizontal eddies and separation in sharp bends or off -takes (river bifurcations or side channels). However, the lack of experience with this relative ‘immature’ tool argues against operational use pending more thorough validation.

Against this background, Deltares is working with the US Geological Survey (USGS) river groups in Flagstaff , Sacramento and Golden in the USA to model sand bars in the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Aft er successful cooperation on coastal morphology studies, the USGS decided in 2007 to extend this cooperation to the river application in the Grand Canyon. The USGS needs process-based modelling tools for sand management in this river. The construction of the Glen Canyon dam in 1963 upstream of Grand Canyon National Park cut off the sand supply to the river. This is leading to the disappearance of the sand bars that serve as a habitat for endangered fi sh, as camping grounds for hikers and raft ers, and as sand coverage for archaeological sites. These bars are mostly located in the complex eddies that develop downstream of riffl es. As part of a US environmental programme for sand-bar restoration, high-discharge releases from the dam are created during high sand inﬂ ow from tributaries in order to get sand on the bars. To design optimal dam releases, it is necessary, among other things, to accurately predict the building-up of the bars. The 3D ﬂ ow and morphology of Delft 3D have been used for this purpose.

kees.sloff @deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8152

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The focus of this study is the validation of the present features in Delft 3D for 3D high-resolution modelling, and the implementation of improvements that do not require a full redesign of concepts or theory. In 2008, eddies and bar development at Mile 45 were monitored extensively during a high-ﬂ ow release. The comparison of model simulations and survey data show that the 3D turbulent ﬂ ow structure in the pools can be reproduced satisfactorily. The observed development of the bars is also reproduced qualitatively, but sensitivity to the components of transport models and sediment conditions, and some missing processes (such as slumping) make more in-depth studies necessary. The study is being continued with more simulations and thorough analysis by the USGS Geomorphology and Sediment Transport Laboratory, and improvements to the

concepts by Deltares. Further reading Sloff , C.J., S. Wright and M. Kaplinski (2009) High resolution three dimensional modeling of river eddy

sandbars, Grand Canyon, U.S.A, 6th IAHR Symposium RCEM 2009

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OpenEarth

The sustainable interaction between mankind and Planet Earth poses huge hydraulic and environmental engineering challenges. The paradigm to confront these challenges – one-project-at-a-time – is apparently attractive from a budget management perspective, but it results in serious ineffi ciencies in terms of developing and archiving the basic elements that are invariably involved: data, models and tools. Hardly any project is, in itself, of suffi cient scale to develop easily accessible and high-quality data archives, state-of-the-art modelling systems and well-tested analysis tools under version control.

Research and consultancy projects commonly spend a signifi cant part of their budget on setting up some basic infrastructure, most of which dissipates again once the project is fi nished. Deltares, TU Delft and Unesco-IHE have therefore developed the OpenEarth framework (www.openearth.eu). OpenEarth is an up-and-running, open-source initiative for archiving, hosting and disseminating Data, Models and Tools for marine & coastal scientists and engineers. This system aims to remedy the ineffi ciencies described here by adopting an approach transcending individual projects.

OpenEarth services are built from existing, proven, open-source technology elements. We adhere to international standards as much as possible (NASA standards, for example). For the purposes of data storage, OpenEarth is collaborating with the TU Delft library with the aim of, for instance, assigning digital object identifi ers (doi) to data on the lines of their assignation to scientifi c papers (on-line or paper). This allows most of the budget to be spent where it is most desperately needed: communication, training and documentation. Most importantly, it will allow the budget to be allocated to a lobby with the aim of changing the paradigm in favour of the open-source sharing of data models and tools. An important element is the organisation of regular sprint sessions

gerben.deboer@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8534 fedor.baart@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8140

Zeeland surface contours from AHN and depth soundings (RWS)

Dutch coastline with sand nourishment database (RWS)

Temperature distribution North Sea (KNMI-NIOO)

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to exchange ideas in association with immediate hands-on application.

OpenEarth provides three web-service levels for data. First, raw data are safeguarded in repositories with version control, with all the processing tools being conveniently stored alongside the data. Second, the data are made available on the web as netCDF fi les (www.opendap.deltares.nl). The novel OPeNDAP technology allows OpenEarth to share an enormous amount of data on the web, allowing users not only to request all meta-information, but to have direct access to the particular slice they need. Third, all data are off ered as pre-visualised Google EarthTM_{feeds using}

the very same network-linked-tiled-image principle that Google EarthTM_{uses itself to deliver all aerial photos. With OpenEarth’s}

Google EarthTM_{feeds it is now possible to hover seamlessly}

from 5m resolution dune data to 50km weather model results at your own desktop. This is unprecedented: all the world’s data is at your fi ngertips. You are cordially invited to join in, for free.

Further reading http://www.openearth.eu Finance

Building with Nature, EU FP 7 MICORE, Delft Cluster, Kustlijnzorg and multiple other projects/consortia supporting in kind (data, models, tools) by adopting the OpenEarth framework

Delft -3D simulation Katrina

All fi gures created with Google EarthTM_{mapping services}

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Flood Control 2015

The Flood Control 2015 innovation programme aims to support decision-making during ﬂ ooding (imminent or actual). The integration of information about water levels, dike strength and the consequences of ﬂ ooding is crucial for eff ective and effi cient decision-making. In addition to more safety through better risk management, FC2015 also aims to enhance export opportunities for Dutch business and to interest more young people in civil engineering.

The four cornerstones of the FC2015 programme are: more and better quality information about water systems, improved forecasting systems, support for decision-makers, and modular ICT systems that link those components. The Deltares focus in the programme is on dike monitoring, dike strength forecasting, hydrological forecasting, dealing with uncertainties, and the integration of forecasting systems and training for end users.

Robust monitoring systems for dike strength and forecasting

contribute to the improvement of ﬂ ood risk management. Deltares, IBM and TNO have built a prototype system for multiple sensor-based dike monitoring and dike stability forecasting. The sensor network design includes a mechanism that calculates the necessary information from nearby or alternative sensors when the primary system has failed for any reason. This ﬂ exibility makes this a suitable solution for a dike monitoring platform and

karel.heynert@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8488

pauline.kruiver@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7859

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is therefore the next step towards large-scale dike monitoring using sensors. The system is in experimentally use at the Smart Dike and Live Dike testing sites in the Netherlands. As a part of this study, the numerical models for dike strength analysis have been adapted to handle real-time sensor data.

The Demonstrator Flood Control Room (DFCR) project is developing a powerful research platform – hardware, soft ware architecture and experimental control room – that integrates the various products of the Flood Control 2015 programme, testing and demonstrating them together. This strengthens the links between the various projects, accelerating and structuring the innovation process. An additional component of this project is the development of an open architecture for ﬂ ood control systems. IBM and Deltares are working together on this innovation process.

A DFCR was set up at Deltares in Delft in 2009. Operational monitoring, forecasting and decision support systems and FC2015 innovations are accessible through the DFCR, and they can be tested and used side by side. A series of workshops with stakeholders and research partners were organised in the DFCR to evaluate research products and focus the FC2015 programme. The DFCR project will proceed in 2010 with an additional focus on the eff ective facilitation of training and serious gaming. Other FC2015 projects have been described elsewhere in this publication: Dike Analysis Module, Smart Dike Piping, and rapid and operational ﬂ ood mapping using satellites.

Further reading

http://www.ﬂ oodcontrol2015.com Finance

The Flood Control 2015 research programme is an initiative of Arcadis, Fugro, HKV, Royal Haskoning, IBM, TNO, ITC, the IJkdijk Foundation and Deltares. The innovation programme will run from 2008 to 2012 and it has a budget of € 20 million. All projects are multi-party endeavours

Demonstrator Flood Control Room in Delft

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Operational Satellite-Based

Flood Mapping

Governments in areas with regular ﬂ ooding need reliable data to ensure good ﬂ ood forecasting and therefore a safer living environment. They need these data in a form they can understand and that they can use in decision-making and in emergency management in particular.

Operational systems must make this connection between raw data and useful information. When ﬂ oods are imminent, there is always a shortage of hard hydrological data about, for example, water levels or rainfall. In addition, in remote areas in the world, there is usually no real-time information about ﬂ ood extent, and this hampers effi cient mitigation action.

The idea behind the Operational Satellite-Based Flood Mapping project is to connect near-real-time ﬂ ood information as measured by satellites to maps that can be used by water managers for mitigating action, but also by forecasters/ modellers to improve existing ﬂ ood forecasting systems. Images from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites provide good contrast between land and water at a resolution of 10-1000 metres. Most satellites provide global coverage every three days

rogier.westerhoff @deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7175

marco.kleuskens@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7855

SAR image of the Mekong delta with a resolution of 500 metres. The image was taken by ENVISAT (Courtesy of ESA)

Flood-related satellite products in FEWS. Left : a combined fl ood probability map based on ENVISAT SAR images. Right: a topography map generated by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)

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regardless of the weather conditions or time of day. The accuracy in space and time can be improved by combining images of more SAR satellites and other instruments such as multi-spectral imaging and radar altimetry. In addition, the European Sentinel satellites from the European Space Agency (the fi rst one of which will be launched in 2011) will improve the spatial and temporal resolution that is needed for operational ﬂ ood information for high-resolution use, as in the UK and the Netherlands.

To combine diff erent sources, satellite information has to be processed objectively. Previous research has transformed radar images into discrete ﬂ ood extents using pre-defi ned thresholds, making the information valid for one satellite only in one condition.

By contrast, this approach calculates ﬂ ood probabilities and uses the images themselves to train the algorithm. In this way, all datasets can be treated in the same way. When diff erent datasets are combined, the reliability of each dataset is taken into account. In combination with a satellite topography map and altimetry measurements for water, the result can be further improved.

The Mekong Delta and Tonle Sap Lake in Southeast Asia were used as test areas, because this region is ﬂ ooded every year. As a lot of the Mekong area is situated in remote areas, ﬂ ood extent maps are a welcome addition to existing hydrological information. They can be delivered on an operational basis by combining information and displaying them in the Deltares FEWS system.

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Perception and risk

communication when

managing ﬂ ood risks

The PROMO research project looked at perception and communication relating to ﬂ ood risks. The project included three diff erent research components: a psychological, a socio-economic and an institutional component.

The socio-psychological component examined the determinants of risk perception, the intentions of the public to prepare for ﬂ ooding and the eff ectiveness of risk communication in terms of raising risk awareness. The socio-economic component focused on the economic aspects of risk perception, including the willingness of households to pay for ﬂ ood risk reduction. The institutional component addressed the perspectives for, and possible obstacles to, the implementation of a risk-based water-safety policy.

The project included extensive surveys of how approximately 1500 households perceived risks. The households were located in diff erent dike rings areas: the coastal dike rings of Zeeland (28, 29 and 30), the dike ring 36 along the river Meuse and the dike ring 22, Isle of Dordrecht in the Lower Rivers region. These dike rings diff er in terms of their ﬂ ood protection level. The surveys included various questions relating to risk perception and people’s attitudes to diff erent preparatory measures, such as looking for emergency information, acquiring an emergency kit, making appointments with family and neighbours or purchasing insurance. The intentional behaviour of the public was analysed by applying and extending the Protective Action Decision Model developed by Lindell & Perry.

The research shows the average Dutch citizen perceives risks as being low/very low, and that the Dutch public has little intention to make preparations for ﬂ ooding. Looking for emergency information was considered the most eff ective preparatory measure. Even so, only about 30% of the respondents said they would be looking for such information in the near

herman.vandermost@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8570

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future. The project also looked at diff erent approaches to risk communication. The current generic approach was found to be ineff ective. To be eff ective, risk communication should focus on the local ﬂ ood risk, response effi cacy and the self-effi cacy of possible preparatory measures. Experiments with a local tailor-made approach of this kind indicate that it is a promising way of achieving more eff ective risk communication.

The socio-economic component also investigated to what extent fl ood risk plays a role in the location/re-location of industry. A survey of some 200 Dutch companies made it clear that fl ood risk hardly plays a role in location decisions. Open interviews, however, suggest that perceived fl ood risk may play a role in the decisions of some foreign companies.

Further reading T. Terpstra, Flood Preparedness. Thoughts, Feelings and Intentions of the Dutch Public. PhD thesis, University of Twente, 2009 Finance

• Leven met Water • DG-Water

• Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom relations • STOWA • province Zuid-Holland • province Zeeland Cooperation • Deltares • University Twente • TU Delft • ITC • TNO • HKV Lijn in Water

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Strength and Loading of

Flood Defences

Almost 3,500 kilometres of Dutch dunes and dikes along the coast, estuaries and rivers have to be assessed every fi ve years to check whether they meet statutory safety standards. The assessments clarify which ﬂ ood defence structures require improvements. The social, political and economic interests are enormous.

Dikes and dunes must be able to withstand extreme water levels and wave conditions. Compulsory safety assessments started in 1996 but they have not yet been completely successful. Predicting extreme conditions still involves too many uncertainties, while some specifi c dike failure mechanisms cannot be described accurately enough. The Strength and Loading of Flood Defences Programme involves the research needed to fi ll in the knowledge gaps and to help improve the safety assessments. Universities, institutes and consultants worldwide are involved in the programme.

The research projects in the programme focus on both ﬂ ood defence loads and strength. The Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management conducted an extensive campaign measuring waves and currents. Improvements to the model for

frans.hamer@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8093

Extreme storm simulated by a wave-overtopping simulator

Wave measuring buoys and measurement posts in the complex geometry of the Wadden Sea

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wave prediction were successfully validated with the measured data (hindcasts). We can now predict extreme wave conditions more reliably, even for the complex geography of the Wadden Sea in the north of the Netherlands.

To determine the strength of ﬂ ood defence structures, possible failure mechanisms need to be identifi ed. First of all, of course, dikes need to be high enough to prevent too much wave overtopping. Wave overtopping can lead to the erosion of the inner slope of the dike, and possibly to the collapse of the entire structure. Extensive studies of the resistance of grass revetments subjected to wave overtopping and full size fi eld tests at several dike locations in the Netherlands produced impressive results. The grass revetments appeared to be much more resistant to erosion by wave overtopping than was previously believed. However, transition zones or construction elements in the dike proved to be weak spots.

Other projects in the Strength and Loading of Flood Defences Programme also helped to reduce uncertainties in dike assessment. Piping studies are described in a separate highlight in this report. A guide for the schematisation of the subsoil based on soil investigations will help work to become more consistent and uniform. Progress has been made on producing better estimates of the macro-stability of ﬂ ood defence structures. Instruments are being improved to assess dune erosion properly.

Funding

The Strength and Loading of Flood Defences Programme (Dutch title: “Sterkte & Belastingen Waterkeringen”) has been assigned by the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management in The Netherlands

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Full-scale piping experiment

(SBW)

Piping, the process of retrograde erosion in sandy layers below clay dikes, is seen as an important failure mechanism in water-retaining structures in the Netherlands. Several computation models are available for estimating the potential occurrence of piping. The most widely-used models in the Netherlands are the empirical relation of Bligh (1910) and the semi-analytical model of Sellmeijer (1988), which describes the piping process in a more complete way.

The Sellmeijer model is based on the equilibrium of the forces of sand grains, ﬂ ow in the developing channel (pipe) and ﬂ ow through the aquifer. The model states the relation between pipe length and hydraulic head at which the sand grains are in equilibrium. Below the critical head the channel will stabilise. We drew on a series of small-scale, medium-scale and centrifuge experiments to refi ne the Sellmeijer calculation model. Four full-scale tests were conducted to validate diff erent aspects of the calculation model. The full-scale experiment was performed at the Smart Dike location in the north-east of the Netherlands.

ulrich.forster@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7203 vera.vanbeek@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7228 andre.koelewijn@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7338

Sand transporting well

Instrumentation detail at piping location

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Two large basins were created, fi lled with two types of sand (coarse and fi ne). A clay dike was built with a height of 3.5 m, slopes of 1:2 and a seepage length of 15 m was built on top of the homogeneously densifi ed and well-saturated sand layer. At the sand-clay interface, several rows of pore pressure meters monitored pipe formation. In addition, fi bre optics at the interface measured temperature and strain diff erences. Two of the four experiments tested additional monitoring equipment. On the basis of the observations in the full-scale experiments, piping can be broken down into four phases: seepage, retrograde erosion, clearing out and failure of the dike. The retrograde erosion phase is modelled by Sellmeijer. In this phase, channel formation is observed in the shape of sand traces (sandy spots without any crater formation), clean wells and sand transporting wells (sand craters). When sand transporting craters appear, the critical hydraulic head has almost been reached. The start of the next phase, clearing out (enlarging and cleaning of the channel from upstream to downstream), can be monitored only by using water pressure meters. The amount of transported sand increases signifi cantly only when the channel reaches the downstream side. The process of clearing out may directly result in failure as soon as the channel reaches the downstream side, but it may also result in the deformation of the clay dike, partially closing the channel and therefore extending the duration of this phase. Failure takes place as a result of a signifi cant increase in sand and water transport and the deformation of the dike. It has emerged that failure caused by piping is a real threat for dikes.

Further reading

V.M. van Beek, H.T.J. de Bruijn, J.G. Knoeff , A. Bezuijen and U. Förster (2010) “Levee failure due to piping: A full-scale experiment”, Fift h international conference on Scour and erosion, San Francisco Funding

Research programmes

“Strength and Loading on Flood Defence Structures” (SBW) and “Flood Control 2015”. Staatsbosbeheer made the test site available

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Development of DAM

The Dike Analysis Module (DAM) has been developed to make cross-sectional, short-term assessments of dike safety. DAM allows for rapid policy studies of ﬂ ood risks. It can be used to back up operational decision support systems for ﬂ ood emergency responses and for obligatory dike assessments.

The modular system uses four steps during the analysis, which are fully automated. The fi rst step is gathering data, followed by the schematisation based on the collected data. Then the batch calculations are executed and fi nally the results are presented, for example in GIS.

For the automated system, the data has to be stored in general databases. The basic architecture for the databases was defi ned in 2009. The databases have to contain information about the geometry and construction of the dike, water pressures, subsoil and soil properties.

In addition, as part of the Flood Control 2015 research programme, a link has been established with the Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) for real-time dike safety analyses. A module has also been developed for automated modifi cations

han.knoeff @deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7244

erik.vastenburg@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 7291

Results of REALTM_{Californian pilot}

Necessary dike height

Auto-adjustment of geometry

Automated berm development

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in dike geometry in response to, for example, changes in water level. This module raises the dike until the necessary height is reached and, if necessary, a berm is added. This berm ‘grows’ until a safe profi le is found.

Numerous calculations are needed to determine the safe profi le. This consumes a lot of time with the traditional calculation models. To speed up the calculation process, a new type of algorithm has been developed. This genetic algorithm produces accurate results faster than traditional grid-based methods. The method has several advantages compared to grid-based methods. Firstly, the genetic algorithm can fi nd the correct minimum, even when the solution space is very complex. The method is good at fi nding the global minimum (lowest factor of safety), even if there are several local minimums.

DAM has been integrated in Fugro’s REALTM_{(Rapid Engineering}

Assessment of Levees) concept, and tested on data available in the California Urban Levee Evaluation Program. AImost 1,000 diff erent levee cross-sections were evaluated for three water levels and fi ve failure mechanisms in less than 20 hours. This was approximately two orders of magnitude faster than conventional evaluation techniques in the USA.

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A ship on the beach...

As part of a consultancy operation relating to emergency conditions during the national Waterproef drill, Deltares was asked by the Delﬂ and Hoogheemraadschap (HHD) to look at the suggestion that beaching ships could protect the Delﬂ and coast. On the basis of an assessment of wave penetration behind a row of beached ships and the associated reduction in dune erosion, it was found that beaching ships considerably reduced the risk of a dune breach. Beaching ships to protect weak points in the coast was seen as an emergency measure of potential interest. An interdisciplinary follow-up study was therefore launched to look not only at the protection aff orded by the beached ships but also at planning and legal issues. A team was established with representatives from HHD, Deltares, SMIT Salvage and the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management - Rijkswaterstaat.

The study conducted by SMIT Salvation showed that the total time needed for the controlled beaching of the ships is approximately 7 days, including mobilisation, unloading and preparing the ships. The “point of no return”, the point in time when the fi rst ships are actually deployed, is aft er approximately 3–4 days. The Ministry found that ships can be requisitioned (for use or as property) only on the basis of unwritten emergency law. On the basis of detailed hydrodynamic simulations, the protection aff orded by a range of beaching confi gurations was examined. It emerged that, if the ships are positioned without excessively large gaps between them, there is a clear reduction in the erosion of the dunes behind them. The fi gures show the additional erosion or protection in red and green respectively for two of the seven beaching confi gurations studied. However, there is a local increase in the transitional areas between the protected and unprotected dunes. Erosion can also increase if one of the ships in the row is not positioned or is washed away.

dirkjan.walstra@deltares.nl +31 (0)88 335 8287

Additional erosion (red) and protection (green) for two beaching confi gurations

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The controlled beaching of ships as an emergency measure for the protection of a weak section of coast would appear, in principle, to be a valid solution if a sound organisation can achieve the timely and accurate positioning of the ships on a sound legal basis. It should be pointed out in this respect that the risk of a local increase in dune erosion as a result of, for example, the washing away or collapse of a ship is considerable. The emergency measure can only be used if all other possible options have been exhausted and if the section of the coast in question will be breached given the expected storm conditions.

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background

The physical geo-ecosystem involves chemical and biochemical processes, as well as physical soil processes. Agriculture, industrial activities and urban development place a major burden on the subsurface. Changes in soil quality and in the associated groundwater and surface water systems and ecosystems are determined to a major extent by the transport of water and the substances present in that water. In addition to system knowledge, management considerations and the development of measures based on this knowledge, in-situ intervention in chemical and microbiological processes is opening up new ways of tackling soil contamination and soil improvement. Furthermore, there are many useful ways of exploiting the subsurface, such as heat/cold storage, the use of groundwater and minerals.

scope

Agricultural and industrial activities, and urban development, place a major burden on the soil and groundwater system. At the same time, chemical and biochemical processes in the subsoil have a major impact on risks for people and ecology. Changes in chemical and biochemical quality in the soil, in the groundwater and in the associated surface water systems and ecosystems are determined to a major extent by the transport of water. Water and soil quality issues in relation to strategic and operational management (dealing with agriculture, cultivation, drinking water supplies) are also taken into account. Of course, water quality cannot be viewed independently from the water quantity issues in the next section.

Healthy water and

soil systems

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Sustainable land use in rural areas involves the sustainable use of natural resources and the prevention of the unacceptable degradation of soil quality and land use options: whether physical (load-bearing capacity or soil structure, for example), chemical (fertility of the soil, soil pollution) or biological (life in the soil). From the environmental perspective, the concept of “Soil Services” has been embraced. As well as ecosystem services, the soil supplies groundwater (protection of strategic drinking water resources), energy, and space for storage and transport.

This theme covers the links and interaction between the biotic and abiotic components of water and soil systems. Saltwater and freshwater systems are looked at in conjunction. Integration and innovation in chemical, biological and physical knowledge for the description, assessment and prediction of the sustainable functioning of the systems are central. The eff ect (cause-eff ect relationships) of natural and human stressors (climate change, for example) is studied so that answers can be given to questions from policymakers, managers and users of the soil and water system.

These issues result in fi ve road maps: Eutrophication,

Micro-pollution, Innovative design of soil and water systems, Modelling framework and monitoring, and Ecosystem health and ecosystem services.

R&D annual report Deltares 2009

R&D Highlights 2009

Dear reader,

Contents

The 2009 R&D Annual Report

Deltares in

the world

Demand-driven

Road maps

Facts and fi gures

Advisory Council

Facilities

Field labs

ICT facilities

background

scope

Safety – living

From river valley to mud

ﬂ ats area

Organic geochemical

assessment of the onset of

an Oceanic Anoxic Event

±

Coastal modelling research

with the USGS

Mud Model for

Scheldt Estuary

Modelling sand bars in

the Grand Canyon

OpenEarth

Flood Control 2015

Operational Satellite-Based

Flood Mapping

Perception and risk

communication when

managing ﬂ ood risks

Strength and Loading of

Flood Defences

Full-scale piping experiment

(SBW)

Development of DAM

A ship on the beach...

background

scope

Healthy water and

soil systems