The Danube River has been vital in supporting life and economic activity for centuries. Climate change and extensive human interventions have altered the natural river flow and led to a significant disruption in the natural balance of sediments in the Danube, increasing flood risks, altering hydropower production and decreasing navigability of the river, thus impacting negatively on human activities. Horizon Europe´s SUNDANSE project (“Innovative sediment management for a SUstaiNable Danube black SEa system”) is set to improve sediment management in the river.
The SUNDANSE project aims to:
– Analyse the environmental impact and mitigation responses to sediment disruption in the Danube river.
– Map critical points for sedimentation, erosion and toxicity.
– Measure sediment disruption using on-vessel prototypes and develop a sediment management framework for the Danube River basin.
– Develop numerical prediction models of sediment transport.
– Develop (commercially exploitable) microplastic and toxicity analysis tools.
– Produce an action plan to upscale solutions for sediment management.
– Foster synergies with other projects and transnational cooperation.
Main contributions of European Shippers’ Council, as a project partner, will include:
– Review of the state of the art (per partner sector).
– Development/exploitation of an handbook for sediment management.
– Development of an action plan for application and upscalling of sediment management solutions.
– Sediment management model: from river basins to water bodies.
– Use cases: definition of requirements, demonstrations.
– Use cases: management.
– Dissemination.
– Project management.
SUNDANSE will run until 2027. More information will be available soon.