Integraal rivierbeheer langs de Grensmaas: een overzicht van het natuurontwikkelingsplan van het Grensmaasgebied
Hoet, I.; Plessers, L.; Cardoen, F.; Nagels, K. (1998). Integraal rivierbeheer langs de Grensmaas: een overzicht van het natuurontwikkelingsplan van het Grensmaasgebied. Water 17(99): 61-66
In: Water: Tijdschrift over Waterproblematiek. VLARIO vzw/vzw Water: Wijnegem. ISSN 0770-7193, more
|  |
| Keywords |
Belgium, Grensmaas
Fresh water |
| Author keywords |
|
| Authors | | Top |
- Hoet, I.
- Plessers, L.
- Cardoen, F.
- Nagels, K.
|
|
|
| Abstract |
The transboundary Border Meuse Project aims to restore the natural river processes at both sides of the river (the Netherlands and Belgium, Flanders) by means of river rehabilitation interventions and management measures. The Border Meuse project pursues to : 1. rehabilitate the river characteristics in relation to nature development 2. harmonise the different land-use functions (agriculture, recreation, gravel mining and drinking water supply, ...) 3. encourage ecological river management and flood protection. Basic consideration for nature development in the river catchment is the improvement of the river contact with the floodplain and its tributaries. The restoration of natural river processes should induce nature areas with high variability and large biodiversity. The basic enhancement measures are: • lowering of the floodplain • lowering of the riverbank • excavation of side channels • ecological restoration of gravel pits These different measures will carried out in 12 different locations along a continuous river stretch of approximately 30 km with a surface of 2.200 hectares. The side channels are e.g. connected with the river upstreams to a discharge level of 800 m 3 /s (high winter level) and downstreams to a discharge level of 10 m 3 /s (low summer level). Historical maps (approximately dated 1800) are used to locate the side channels. The target images of nature development are: • restoration of the different stages of river forest • conservation and restoration of the typical river pastures • conservation and restoration of the typical river landscape elements as hedgerows and orchards • conservation and restoration of marshes Many of these measures can not only be reached by rehabilitation measures, but should be attained by management agreements with farmers, as agriculture is the major function in the flood plain. The Nature Development Plan for the Border Meuse Region is currently be studied in an environmental impact analysis, which can be considered as a strategic environmental assessment process. Basis of the environmental impact assessment is the hydrological, morphological and sedimentological research of the proposed measures. Aim of the study is to assess the technical, hydrolocigal and ecological feasibility of the proposed measures. |
|
