Perth Laboratory – Public Seminar Series 2010

1. Overview of the International Sediment Initiative as part of the UNESCO-International Hydrological Programme

2. Integrated flood protection management and the impact of climate change – A view of Switzerland and of the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine Basin

Prof. Manfred Spreafico
University of Berne, Switzerland

Thursday 1 April 2010 at 3.30pm, CSIRO Auditorium


Abstract: This seminar will cover two topics...

1. Overview of the International Sediment Initiative as part of the UNESCO-International Hydrological Programme

The International Sediment Initiative (ISI) has been launched by UNESCO, as a major activity of the Sixth Phase of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP). In justifying the Initiative the Intergovernmental Council noted that:

• Erosion and sedimentation processes and management in catchments, river systems and reservoirs are increasingly important in all parts of the world
• Erosion and sedimentation processes have significant socio-economic and environmental impacts in river basin management
• Sediment production processes are not sufficiently understood for practical use, while various sediment transport models are available
• Within the next few decades more than 50% of the world's reservoir storage capacity may be lost due to sedimentation, and realizing that appropriate storage sites of water are limited,
• Sediment management practices should be improved.

The presentation will contain:

• The mission, vision and goals of ISI
• Information to the general topics and problems covered by ISI, and
• Activities and projects carried out within ISI.

The presentation should help to motivate member countries to participate in the framework of ISI.

2. Integrated flood protection management and the impact of climate change – A view of Switzerland and of the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine Basin

The recent federal law on flood protection (1991) of Switzerland provides a new basis for hazard assessment, differentiation of protection objectives, adequate planning of measures, and limitation of remaining risks (emergency planning). Since than two main strategies must be pursued to prevent an exponential increase of flood damage in the near future: priority should be given to planning efforts to reduce vulnerability and damage potential, and emergency planning to reduce the after-effects of flood events should also be undertaken.

Therefore the basic requirements for flood protection as hazard analysis, assessment and elimination of ecological deficiencies, differentiation of protection aims, flood retardation in retention areas, minimization of impacts, checking of possible failure points, maintenance and securing spatial requirements must be taken into account.

The impact of global and climate change on discharge of the Rhine river has been studied in the Rhine Commission and preliminary adaptation strategies developed.

The presentation will contain

• Information to the strategy and principle of flood protection management
• Methods used and examples of flood protection management in Switzerland
• Results of the climate change investigations of the Int. Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine basin
• Implemented protection measures.

About the speaker
Prof. Dr Manfred Spreafico is Professor in Hydrology at the University of Berne, Switzerland. He has been the director of the Swiss National Hydrology Survey for many years. His main activities cover all fields of operational hydrology, flood and sediment management as part of the integrated environmentally sound water management, reservoir operation and information systems for natural disasters. He has worked with priority in the Hindukush Himalaya, in Central Asia, some countries in South East Asia and Europe. He is acting president of the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine Basin, chairman of the ISI-Steering Committee and hydrology adviser of Switzerland to World Meteorological Organization.

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