Groundwater in the coastal zone: two-day course

During IAHR 2015 Deltares will organize a two-day course on groundwater in the coastal zone.

The course will provide participants with (1) principles and procedures of variable density groundwater ow and coupled solute transport, (2) salinisation of groundwater systems and fresh-saline groundwater ow phenomena in the coastal zone, (3) monitoring techniques for fresh-brackish-saline water systems and (4) modelling experiences through hands-on training in computer workshops.

The United Nations have declared the year 2015 as the International Year of Soils, under the topic «Healthy Soils for a Healthy Life». According to the UN, »the current rate of soil degradation threatens the capacity to meet the needs of future generations«. Therefore, there is an urgent need to promote sustainable soil and land management practices, in order to ensure a productive and healthy food system and environment. The Symposium «Hazard, Risk and Sustainability in the Soil Environment» will be held in Wageningen on 14 October 2015.

The Symposium «Hazard, Risk and Sustainability in the Soil Environment» aims to share knowledge between students and researchers, and to promote the discussion of new ideas, problems and challenges faced, and solutions encountered for the different soil-related topics covering this symposium.

Topic include:

• The effect of wildfires on soil hydrological and erosion processes.
• Flood hazard, risk and management.
• Pesticides use and transport processes in the environment.
• Nanoparticles transport and stability in the Environment

Soil is considered a non-renewable source for the time frame of human life, since its formation occurs very slowly over time. Unsustainable land use and management practices often lead to an increasing risk of wildfires and floods, but also to soil and water pollution. Desertification, soil erosion, soil degradation, soil fertility loss, and soil contamination with waste, pesticides and other pollutants, are therefore some of the major threats faced by the soil environment. A deeply understanding of the processes that promote soil degradation and threaten the soil environment and populations livelihood is of extreme importance, and crucial for the development and implementation of more sustainable soil measures and policies.

Course leaders are Dr Gualbert Oude Essink and Dr Perry de Louw, both hydrogeologists at Deltares.

Costs: € 100 per participant

Dates: Thursday 25 and Friday 26 June 2015

Target group: Water consultants in Hydro(geo)logy, PhD students and medium to senior experts at water boards, provinces or nature organizations

The course will provide participants with (1) principles and procedures of variable density groundwater flow and coupled solute transport, (2) salinisation of groundwater systems and fresh-saline groundwater flow phenomena in the coastal zone, (3) monitoring techniques for fresh-brackish-saline water systems and (4) modelling experiences through hands-on training in computer workshops. On completion of this course the participants are able to understand, quantify and monitor groundwater flow processes in the coastal zone and to construct some (relatively simple) models on variable density groundwater flow and coupled salt transport.

 More information about the course Groundwater in the coastal zone