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A Profile of the Hydrology Department at Trier University

The primary focus of the research is the dynamics of material and waterflow in urban spacesaquatic networks and the associated groudwater systems, with consideration of the relevant biogeochemical processes. The research spans from studies aimed at improving the description of quantitative water flows between groundwater and surface water and their influence on the transport of nutrients and trace substances in surface and groundwater systems, to the quantitative and qualitative examination of urban water resources and their management within the urban system, especially in the context of climate change. Specifically, the emphasis here lies in the temporal development of water and energy balances, as well as on the scale effects and processes that are relevant to the impacts of pollutant emissions from agricultural (nutrient surpluses and pesticides) and urban areas (wastewater from sewage treatment plants and stormwater drainage systems/urban biocides) on water quality. Another focal point of the work is the investigation of the effectiveness and efficiency of potential measures to improve water quality and water resources. Among these are rainfall infiltration facilities and artificial wetlands.

Water-related extreme events, like the flood disaster of July 14-15 in 2021 or the droght and low-water periods of the previous years and their effects on the quantity and quality of surface water, as well as the availability and quality of drinking water, increasingly highlight the necessity for a proactive approach to water resources, especially in the face of climate change. This includes adapted measures against the risks of these extreme events and ensuring access to sufficient high-quality drinking water resources. The main focus of Trier's hydrology department includes questions regarding methodological approaches in drinking water management, settlement water management and heavy rain management

In summary, the research work can be described as fundamental process research on quantitative and qualitative hydrological processes in anthropogenically influenced environmental systems.

Keywords related to systems and processes:
Water management; Water quality management; Aquatic networks; Groundwater-surface water interaction; Drinking water; Water quality; Groundwater; Scale effects; Groundwater recharge and water resources management; Energy balance of hydrosystems

Keywords related to substances and methods:
Water temperature; Environmental tracers and pollutants; Nutrients; Microplastics; Stable water isotopes; Hydrometry; Water budget and process modeling; Substance and energy transport modeling.

 

Research Topics in Hydrology

Fluvial Hydrology – Water Management Assessment of Hydrological and Aquatic Ecological Processes in Anthropogenically Influenced Waters

  • Energy balance modeling
  • Modeling of water and substance transport
  • Processes of substance conversion and pollutant degradation
  • Hydraulic aspects of water bodies
  • Groundwater and surface water interaction in anthropogenically influenced waters
  • Bank filtration and processes of substance conversion

Urban Hydrology and Water Management in Anthropogenically Shaped Landscapes

  • Intense rainfall management
  • Hydrological modeling, particularly focusing on nitrogen processes 
  • Water balance modeling
  • Urban drainage systems
  • Sustainable management of water resources in urban areas
  • Groundwater recharge and energy balance
  • Substance emissions and management