ElbService will …
…
provide groundwork for evaluating stability of sediments and soils as to their risk of erosion…
highlight the role of vegetation…
outline ecosystem services of renaturalised vs.technically engineered river banks for local society
…
illustrate the value and benefit of different methods of river bank engineering.Finally ElbService will help answer questions, such as where and under which conditions renaturalisation of river banks is a feasible option for the tidal River Elbe.
ElbService:
● river bank stability
● pristine river banks
● ecological diversity
● added value for society
ElbService
Research towards pristine river banks at the tidal River Elbe
Persons of contact:
Subproject ElbStabil
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Institute for Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
Dr Wibke Baumgarten • w.baumgarten@soils.uni-kiel.de
Subproject EcoBank
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Environmental and Resource Economics Dr Jan Barkmann • jbarkma@gwdg.de
Dr Uta Sauer • Uta.Sauer@agr.uni-goettingen.de Project ElbService
Federal Institute of Hydrology Am Mainzer Tor 1 • D-56068 Koblenz
Dr Carolin Schmidt-Wygasch • schmidt-wygasch@bafg.de www.bafg.de
Our focal point
Banks of the tidal River Elbe
The tidal Elbe holds a tremendous diversity of nature and culture. At the same time the Elbe is a waterway of high impact for the economy of that region.
It provides notable habitats for flora and fauna, also for endangered species. This fact gives the Elbe an extraordinary value within all European nature conservation projects.
ElbService
Research towards pristine river banks
ElbService is a research project of the German Federal Institute of Hydrology funded by the German Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development. It is embedded in the programme for research on water management and maintenance of waterways.
Basic knowledge on interrelations between natural processes and the stability of river banks is elaborated by ElbService in close cooperation with the German Universities of Kiel and Göttingen.
Spotlights of the research programme
● pristine versus technically trained river banks – how do they differ in terms of value and what is their benefit for society and nature?
● bank protection and nature conservation – how can both be reconciled?
● where and to which extent does bank renaturisation make sense?
Subproject ElbStabil
How stable are river banks?
At the University of Kiel soil scientists analyse sediments and soils of the tidal River Elbe. Field and laboratory analyses will lead to an evaluation of the stability and resilience of pristine river banks. In this way sectors along the tidal River Elbe can be identified which are not at risk of being undermined by erosion.
Subproject EcoBank
How to assess the value of river banks?
A research team at Göttingen University analyses ecosystem services related to river banks. Beneficial characteristics like biodiversity or bank protection will be differentiated for individual river banks.
Several techniques of river bank engineering can thus be compared and their economic use becomes evident.
A key assessment strategy is to interview local residents and skilled experts.
Pristine river banks have a particular value for biodiversity, water quality and recreation. Rock filling of banks is a common protection measure, e.g. for adjacent agricultural land use.
The “Integrated Management Plan for the Elbe Estuary” has examined many bank reinforcements and now demands for a new orientation towards renaturalisation of banks and an improved structural diversity. Of course, in this context bank stability
remains highest priority. Project duration 2012 – 2014
