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Research to secure a safe water supply
March 20, 2009World Water Day on Sunday, 22 March aims to raise public awareness of the increasing scarcity of clean drinking water on our planet. In a densely populated world, droughts and floods are causing more damage than ever before.
Helmholtz scientists in the research field Earth and Environment are working on solutions to precisely these problems. In cooperation with partners from other countries and in multidisciplinary teams, they are looking at the issue from all angles - from its biological aspects to its economic dimensions and the legal framework. "Our research is targeted towards clarifying how the different aspects of this question interrelate, and making detailed recommendations on the sustainable management of water as a fundamental natural resource," says Prof. Jürgen Mlynek, President of the Helmholtz Association.
Below we present a selection of the research projects currently in progress at Helmholtz Centres on issues including water management, maintenance of water quality, flood risk management and climate research. For more detailed information, contact persons and addresses, images and follow-up links, please refer to our virtual press pack at: www.helmholtz.de/Weltwassertag2009_Pressemappe
WATER MANAGEMENT
* A sustainable water supply for Brasília
Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) have launched a joint German and Brazilian project to develop system solutions for the various water-related problems in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
* GOODWATER ITN: Specialists for environmentally friendly groundwater management
A new EU research programme, the Goodwater Initial Training Network (ITN), trains specialists in the field of groundwater research and management, imparting cutting-edge scientific skills. The Institute of Groundwater Ecology at the German Research Center for Environmental Health in Munich is one of the institutes at the helm of this project.
* Project: Water 2050 - Opportunities for the German Water Industry
A consortium including the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, the Institute for Social-Ecological Research and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research is investigating how modern technology can help solve water management problems and how German industry can help achieve water protection goals.
* Water in Central Asia - From climate change to water management
The Water in Central Asia (CAWa) research network aims to develop a sustainable cross-border water management system in five Central Asian states and to provide further training for Central Asian specialists in the field. The CAWa consortium includes the Helmholtz Centres AWI and DLR, and is headed by the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.
* Efficient use of scarce resources: SMART project
Specialists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research are developing a sustainable water management solution for the area that straddles Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories to secure an adequate supply of drinking water.
WATER QUALITY MAINTENANCE / CONTAMINATION
* "Hot spots" for the degradation of contaminants in groundwater
Groundwater ecologists at the German Research Center for Environmental Health have identified so-called groundwater "hot spots", zones of high microbial activity where contaminants are degraded particularly efficiently.
* The changing Elbe
Specialists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research have shown that both flooding and low water levels could affect the Elbe drainage basin more frequently in future, which would then lead to a higher concentration of contaminants in the water.
* Drinking water in Gaza Strip contaminated with high levels of nitrate
Researchers from the University of Heidelberg and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research have shown that 90 percent of water samples taken from the Gaza Strip contain nitrate concentrations between two and eight times higher than the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
* New testing procedure for groundwater purification
In 2007 the UFZ and a partner launched a pilot plant at the edge of the old refinery in Leuna, eastern Germany to purify the contaminated groundwater. The joint venture aims to test ways of purifying water through natural attenuation using plants.
FLOODING
* Flood loss database HOWAS 21 online
The flood loss database HOWAS 21 was developed by researchers at the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences with the aim of compiling flood loss data to support research.
* New information system for flood protection in Bitterfeld An internet-based decision support system developed by the UFZ enables water levels following a dyke failure to be predicted with greater accuracy. The system also provides information about contamination caused by flooding.
* Surface sealing & groundwater UFZ studies have shown that the high land use in Germany has a drastic effect on the groundwater level. The larger the area of sealed surfaces, the greater the risk of flooding.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER
* Regional effects of climate change
Six Helmholtz centres are involved in the most comprehensive research project ever on the long-term effects of climate change at regional level. As part of the large-scale project TERENO (TERrestrial ENvironmental Observatories), a total of four observatories will be set up in Germany to monitor the effects of climate change on local ecosystems and the corresponding effects on the economy.
* The monsoons of West African and their consequences
As part of the international research project AMMA (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis), experts from the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe are measuring and simulating the monsoons of West African to allow them to develop strategies to secure the drinking water supply and protect farming and the healthcare system.
* GKSS invests €12 million in new observation system for the North Sea
The principal goal of the large-scale project COSYNA (Coastal Observation System for Northern and Arctic Seas) is the construction of a long-term observatory for the German parts of the North Sea to monitor, forecast and support scientific research of the present state and development of the coastal waters. The GKSS Research Centre in Geesthacht is coordinating the project.
* Ocean acidification and its effects on the marine ecosystem (AWI project)
Emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide not only affect the atmosphere, they can also have drastic consequences for the world's oceans and their ecosystems. Recent studies have revealed increased levels of acidity in our oceans.
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
WATER MANAGEMENT
* A sustainable water supply for Brasília
Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) have launched a joint German and Brazilian project to develop system solutions for the various water-related problems in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
* GOODWATER ITN: Specialists for environmentally friendly groundwater management
A new EU research programme, the Goodwater Initial Training Network (ITN), trains specialists in the field of groundwater research and management, imparting cutting-edge scientific skills. The Institute of Groundwater Ecology at the German Research Center for Environmental Health in Munich is one of the institutes at the helm of this project.
* Project: Water 2050 - Opportunities for the German Water Industry
A consortium including the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, the Institute for Social-Ecological Research and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research is investigating how modern technology can help solve water management problems and how German industry can help achieve water protection goals.
* Water in Central Asia - From climate change to water management
The Water in Central Asia (CAWa) research network aims to develop a sustainable cross-border water management system in five Central Asian states and to provide further training for Central Asian specialists in the field. The CAWa consortium includes the Helmholtz Centres AWI and DLR, and is headed by the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.
* Efficient use of scarce resources: SMART project
Specialists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research are developing a sustainable water management solution for the area that straddles Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories to secure an adequate supply of drinking water.
WATER QUALITY MAINTENANCE / CONTAMINATION
* "Hot spots" for the degradation of contaminants in groundwater
Groundwater ecologists at the German Research Center for Environmental Health have identified so-called groundwater "hot spots", zones of high microbial activity where contaminants are degraded particularly efficiently.
* The changing Elbe
Specialists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research have shown that both flooding and low water levels could affect the Elbe drainage basin more frequently in future, which would then lead to a higher concentration of contaminants in the water.
* Drinking water in Gaza Strip contaminated with high levels of nitrate
Researchers from the University of Heidelberg and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research have shown that 90 percent of water samples taken from the Gaza Strip contain nitrate concentrations between two and eight times higher than the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
* New testing procedure for groundwater purification
In 2007 the UFZ and a partner launched a pilot plant at the edge of the old refinery in Leuna, eastern Germany to purify the contaminated groundwater. The joint venture aims to test ways of purifying water through natural attenuation using plants.
FLOODING
* Flood loss database HOWAS 21 online
The flood loss database HOWAS 21 was developed by researchers at the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences with the aim of compiling flood loss data to support research.
* New information system for flood protection in Bitterfeld An internet-based decision support system developed by the UFZ enables water levels following a dyke failure to be predicted with greater accuracy. The system also provides information about contamination caused by flooding.
* Surface sealing & groundwater UFZ studies have shown that the high land use in Germany has a drastic effect on the groundwater level. The larger the area of sealed surfaces, the greater the risk of flooding.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER
* Regional effects of climate change
Six Helmholtz centres are involved in the most comprehensive research project ever on the long-term effects of climate change at regional level. As part of the large-scale project TERENO (TERrestrial ENvironmental Observatories), a total of four observatories will be set up in Germany to monitor the effects of climate change on local ecosystems and the corresponding effects on the economy.
* The monsoons of West African and their consequences
As part of the international research project AMMA (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis), experts from the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe are measuring and simulating the monsoons of West African to allow them to develop strategies to secure the drinking water supply and protect farming and the healthcare system.
* GKSS invests €12 million in new observation system for the North Sea
The principal goal of the large-scale project COSYNA (Coastal Observation System for Northern and Arctic Seas) is the construction of a long-term observatory for the German parts of the North Sea to monitor, forecast and support scientific research of the present state and development of the coastal waters. The GKSS Research Centre in Geesthacht is coordinating the project.
* Ocean acidification and its effects on the marine ecosystem (AWI project)
Emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide not only affect the atmosphere, they can also have drastic consequences for the world's oceans and their ecosystems. Recent studies have revealed increased levels of acidity in our oceans.
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
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Research challenges for understanding landscape changes identified
Nine research challenges and four research initiatives that are poised to advance the study of how Earth's landscapes change were unveiled today in a new report by the National Research Council.
Tiny bubbles clean oil from water
Small amounts of oil leave a fluorescent sheen on polluted water. Oil sheen is hard to remove, even when the water is aerated with ozone or filtered through sand.
MIT scientists pinpoint origin of dissolved arsenic in Bangladesh drinking water
Researchers in MIT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering believe they have pinpointed a pathway by which arsenic may be contaminating the drinking water in Bangladesh, a phenomenon that has puzzled scientists, world health agencies and the Bangladeshi government for nearly 30 years.
Central Africa's tropical Congo Basin was arid, treeless in Late Jurassic
The Congo Basin - with its massive, lush tropical rain forest - was far different 150 million to 200 million years ago. At that time Africa and South America were part of the single continent Gondwana.
Worksite wellness programs may reduce employee absenteeism
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health researchers will present Nov. 11 on a range of topics at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting in Philadelphia, including a study that found reduced absenteeism among employees participating in a large-scale worksite wellness program.
Geologists studying groundwater arsenic levels in India empower Bengali women, children
A Kansas State University geologist and graduate student are finding that the most important tools in their fieldwork on groundwater arsenic pollution are women and children armed with pamphlets and testing kits.
National Science Foundation congratulates Nobel Laureates in medicine/physiology, chemistry and economics
The National Science Foundation (NSF) congratulates the 2009 Nobel laureates, particularly those who have received NSF funding over the years: Jack W. Szostak, who shared the prize in physiology or medicine; Thomas A. Steitz, who shared the prize in chemistry; and Elinor Ostrom and Oliver E. Williamson who earned the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in economic sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel 2009.
National Science Foundation awards grants for studies of coupled natural and human systems
How do humans and their environment interact, and how can we use knowledge of these links to adapt to a planet undergoing radical climate and other environmental changes?
How Will Future Sea-Level Rise Linked to Climate Change Affect Coastal Areas?
The anticipated sea-level rise associated with climate change, including increased storminess, over the next 100 years and the impact on the nation's low-lying coastal infrastructure is the focus of a new, interdisciplinary study led by geologists at The Florida State University.
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Groundwater by Alan R. Freeze (Author), John A. Cherry (Author) A comprehensive presentation of groundwater hydrology that integrates chemistry, physics, geology, and calculus while applying theory to real-world geology. Provides quantitative methods of calculation in groundwater hydrology. Contains sections on transport processes, ground water contamination, well hydraulics, and aquifer yield — including analog and numerical modeling. Covers mathematical derivations in appendices. |
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Groundwater Hydrology by David Keith Todd (Author), Larry W. Mays (Author) Continuing in its forty-year history of providing students and professionals with a thorough grounding in the science and technology of groundwater hydrology, this third edition has been completely updated to reflect the tremendous changes in the field. A true essential reference, this book provides a unified presentation of the subject, treating fundamental principles, methods and problems encountered in the field as a whole. |
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Hydraulics of Groundwater (Dover Books on Engineering) by Jacob Bear (Author) This text explores the laws and equations governing the flow and storage of groundwater in aquifers. It provides groundwater hydrologists — as well as engineers and planners dealing with the development and management of groundwater resources — with all the necessary tools to forecast the behavior of a regional aquifer system. 1979 edition. |
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Fundamentals of Ground Water by Franklin W. Schwartz (Author), Hubao Zhang (Author) Introduction to Ground Water provides the reader with the fundamental principles of the hydraulic cycle. Also complete with illustrations and real-life case studies, this text takes a comprehensive and realistic approach to the subject of hydrology. It also contains strong interactive computer-based programs for solving and simulating hydraulics groundwater processes. |
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GROUNDWATER 'S Beer and Ale Cascading Pub Wall Clock by ZuWEE 9" Black Plastic Wall Clock. Brand new in box. Precision quartz movement operates on one AA battery (not included). This is not a lighted clock. |
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Groundwater in the Environment: An Introduction by Paul L. Younger (Author) This accessible new textbook provides a thorough introduction to all aspects of groundwater systems and their management. Using straightforward language and analogies to everyday experiences, it explains the origins, nature, and behavior of subsurface water without resorting to complicated mathematics. Groundwater in the Environment draws on case studies and cutting-edge research from around the world, giving a unique insight into groundwater occurring in a wide range of different climate zones and geological settings. This book: |
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Classic Pollution Films DVD: 1930's - 1970's Water, Land & Air Pollution Films Including Environmental, Soil Erosion, Groundwater, Trash, and Industrial & Factory Pollution History Pictures Films This compilation features a wide variety of pollution propaganda films, each with a unique set of ideas and opinions. Topics include water management, soil conservation, erosion, litter, TVA, industrial pollution and wildlife management. Table Of Contents: (1) Pollution Below (1975) - A fantastic film sponsored chiefly by NASA and in part by the EPA & NOAH. This film explores an emerging technique in science that uses satellite images to track pollution - 14 Minutes (2) Heritage of Splendor (1963) - Narrated by Ronald Reagan and sponsored by an oil company, this vintage film explores the conservation of natural resources. The beginning of this conservation film promotes the efficient management of the country's natural resource as opposed to preservation, and explains how mixed-use land... |
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SciEd Groundwater Exploration Activity Model by Neo/Sci Corporation Model, Activity; Neo Sci; Groundwater Exploration; Use durable acrylic model; Students learn groundwater sources, storage, flow beneath earths surface; Includes: oversized, 7 in. base for added stability |
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21 Problems Jay Groundwater (Primary Contributor) |
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