1. Contribution of the Netherlands to research on the global water cycle
Han Dolman
Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam

2. Expected changes in the water system1 3 4 2 6 5
Expected changes in the water system
See level rise
Salinization
More rainfall in shorter time; longer dry spells
Increasing river discharges; low flow problems
Less storage and infiltration
Land Subsidence

3. Conflicts seem inevitable: challenges
But at same time less space for water :
Urbanization, agriculture, nature, etc. claim space
Citizens want safe and nice living environment, no nuisance
Hardly any multiple land use; water not used as spatial planning factor
Values of water hardly known and recognized in governmental decision making
Planning and decision making slow, incomprehensible, intransparant
Conflicts seem inevitable: challenges

4. New paradigm Elements e.g.
No longer: KEEPING THE WATER OUT
But: ACCOMMODATING THE WATER
Elements e.g.
Retain water: Hold it back, slow it down and than release it / make wise use of it (sustainable)
Make space for water / water oriented land use planning
Recognise and handle the many values of water
Make use of natural processes

5. Three current initiatives
Dutch Science Foundation (NWO)
Bsik Knowledge investment programs
Living with water
Climate for Space
Reconnaissance Dutch Royal Academy of sciences

6. Theme ‘Water’
water systems at different spatial and temporal scales, such as the hydrological cycle as a whole, river systems and coastal zones.
Scope fundamental Global Change science

7. Scope and challenges
water and the earth system: water cycle, meteorology, clouds ecohydrology
2. global change and aquatic ecosystems
water and society

8. Cross cutting themes diversity, heterogeneity, variability
- non-linearity, thresholds, boundaries
- vulnerability, resilience and adaptation

9. Current state 155 preproposals; 29 selected 14 will be funded
Total funding 3+2 MEuro

10. Climate changes Spatial Planning
Klimaat voor Ruimte (KvR)

11. Mission Climate as a multidisciplinary knowldege question
Climate are guiding principle for spatial planning
Public private partnerships
Stakeholder involvement with scientific excellence
Improving dutch competitiveness

12. Climate scenario’s Boundary conditions Output on command
&
Climate data
Key processes
Refence climate
and validation

13. Development policy support tools
Adaptation
Development policy support tools
1. Scenario’s
2. Mitigation
4.Scenario’s
& dialogue

14. Living with Water A programme for Knowledge development and dissemination

15. Scientific challenges
Mix of natural sciences with economy, sociology, governance, management, legislation, …
Fusion of technical and non-technical aspects in Living with Water
Make non-technical aspects tangible for decision making process
Provide (quantified) information on non-technical aspects

16. Scientific challenges (2)
Collective responsibility of involved scientists, practical water managers, contractors and consultants
Use the Netherlands as a laboratory
Joint learning process in new alliances and consortia

17. KNAW (Netherland Royal Academy of Sciences) reconnaisance study
Define hydrology as an earth Science, and identify challenges
Three themes
Geoecosystems and hydrology
Climate and hydrology
Geoenvironment and hydrology

18. Geoenvironment Interaction surface water and ground water
Multiphase flow and transport
Density dependent flow (salt intrusion) interaction with chemistry of the geology
Reactive solute transport,

19. GeoEcosystems Patterns and complexity in landscapes
Ecological controls on flow patterns
How does heterogeneity evolve (self organization?)
How does resilience evolve in landscapes?
Feedbacks between land, biogeochemistry and climate
Interaction land use change and hydrology vs resilience
What is the required level of complexity for ES models
How does hydrology interact with biogeochemical cycles?

20. Climate and hydrology Detection is the HC speeding up? Impacts
Runoff, evaporation, precipitation
Impacts
hydrology of large river basins
Paleohydrology
Understanding the nature of drought
Feedbacks
Complexity, heterogeneity and feedbacks
Groundwater, soil moisture atmosphere feedbacks