Development of approaches, methods and tools for integrated catchment management (ICM).
Within the framework of the ICM there is an urgent need of new models and methods to deal with issues as: reduce the complexity on existing models, data assimilation problems, coupling different type of models and research on new fluvial indicators suitable for an integrate environmental assessment, as request by the WFD.
Research Area
ICM is a relative new concept however a real application of this concept is still a true challenge for the future. From a theoretical modelling prospective many are the issues to face: excessive complexity of actual models, problem coupling models coming from different disciplines, data assimilation problems and assessing uncertainty. Furthermore from practical modelling prospective other issues are: upscaling and downscaling of the results, dealing with data and models uncertainty, lack of information, suitability of the environmental indicators describing the physical process and being truly useful for the end users.
ICM is a relative new concept however a real application of this concept is still a true challenge for the future. From a theoretical modelling prospective many are the issues to face: excessive complexity of actual models, problem coupling models coming from different disciplines, data assimilation problems and assessing uncertainty. Furthermore from practical modelling prospective other issues are: upscaling and downscaling of the results, dealing with data and models uncertainty, lack of information, suitability of the environmental indicators describing the physical process and being truly useful for the end users.
What has been done so far
A fluvial geomorphological framework at national scale to assess the effects on the geomorphological features of different ICM strategies has been developed, based mainly on the RHS dataset. The model it has been thought to be a suitable component of a DSS aiming at planning management strategies at catchment scale.
On going Researches:
Assessing the complexity to build a geomorphological quality status index, as request by the WFD.
Comparison of different evaluation methodologies to assess the fluvial ecosystem status
Analysing of cause-effects relationships amongst chemical, biological and geomorphological fluvial processes
A data assimilation problem to improve the capabilities of a hydro-geomorphological model (Caesar) to represent the river dynamic, using remote sensing.
Collaboration
This research is carried on in collaboration with Cirf (Italian Centre for River Restoration).