The KliBiW project has been dealing with the consequences of climate change for water management in Lower Saxony since 2008. Funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy, Building and Climate Protection (MU), the project is being carried out under the leadership of the Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN). The current focus is on the increasing number of dry periods, such as 2018, 2019 and 2020. The increased occurrence of prolonged dry periods and high temperatures poses challenges that require measures to strengthen the resilience of water resources in Lower Saxony.
As part of KliBiW - Phase 8, various climate scenarios are being analyzed in order to comprehensively assess the future challenges posed by low water events. The Hydriv department will focus on the simulation of future low water discharges. Various scenarios will be simulated using the Panta Rhei water balance model to produce more precise predictions of low water conditions. In addition, the groundwater dynamics in selected pilot areas will be modeled to better understand the effects of extreme low water events. To this end, a water balance model is to be coupled with a groundwater flow model to better map the interaction between surface water and groundwater and make more accurate predictions about the hydrological and hydrogeological processes of groundwater recharge and abstraction.
The aim of KliBiW - Phase 8 is to create a basis for future water quantity management strategies through comprehensive analyses of low water conditions and climatic trends. By considering various scenarios and their effects on regional water resources, a contribution is to be made to the long-term safeguarding and adaptation of water management in Lower Saxony
July 2024 - June 2026