Project Title:

Adaptive Management of Barriers in European Rivers -EU | Compass Informatics

Date:

05/2020 – 07/2020

Location:

European Union

Client: 

Marine Institute

Business Sectors: 

Water Resources/ Environment

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Our team provided geospatial analysis services to provide insights on a variety of themes impacting the conservation of Atlantic Salmon in the EU. Using Python programming and ArcGIS, the team merged 21 river networks from estuary to sub basin level to assess European river connectivity. An SQL database was developed to consolidate data regarding the extant and historical salmon population using rod catch reports from 2000-2019.

Areas of the network were attributed to identify areas with geographically proximate qualities, ecological quality scores, dendritic connectivity indices and the location of main river barriers.

Water temperature was attributed using previous Global monthly levels (1981-2014) and modelled projections for 2020-2080, these large raster datasets where processed and amalgamated with the closest river sections, creating Climate Change forecasts for individual river networks.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes: 

Much of Europe depends on water from rivers for drinking, food production, and the generation of hydropower, which is essential for meeting the EU renewable energy target. Infrastructure for agriculture and energy production such as barriers and weirs can fragment habitats and block migratory species. Only half the EU surface waters have met the WFD’s 2015 target of good ecological status. Some barriers are old and out of use, but may hold historical value. European rivers need to take the complexity and trade-offs imposed by barriers into account to inform future decisions. From 2016 to 2020 AMBERs set out to apply adaptive management to the operation of barriers in European rivers. To achieve a more effective and efficient restoration of stream connectivity.

Our Role:

Our role involved providing expert geospatial analysis services through the analysis, amalgamation and aggregation of complex EU hydrological data. With the data consolidated and visualized cartographically, ecologists can effectively and efficiently identify opportunities to restore stream connectivity, improve water quality and promote biodiversity.

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Gearóid O’Riain/ goriain@compassinformatics.com