River Basin Management 2019

10th International conference on river basin management including all aspects of hydrology, ecology, environmental management, flood plains and wetlands

8–10 May 2019
Alicante, Spain

Overview

The 10th International Conference on River Basin Management Including all aspects of Hydrology, Ecology, Environmental Management, Flood Plains and Wetlands took place in Alicante, Spain. The Conference was organised by the Wessex Institute, UK, represented by Professor Stefano Mambretti, and the University of Alicante, Spain, represented by Professor Joaquin Melgarejo Moreno.

The conference, which started in Cardiff, UK in 2001, is well-established and always attracts a wide international spread of delegates. The variety of topics covered by the conference reflects the increasing pressure on the world’s riverine systems due to anthropological and natural causes. Prominent amongst the problems affecting them is water scarcity and quality, which requires the development of improved methods for better river management.

Opening of the Conference

The conference was opened by Stefano Mambretti who welcomed the delegates to the conference, before paying tribute to the founder of the Wessex Institute, the late Prof Carlos A Brebbia.

Professor Stefano Mambretti then mentioned that the main object of WIT is the dissemination of knowledge, with particular emphasis on science and engineering. Another way in which this is achieved is by the publication of papers from conferences and Journals, through its publishing arm, WIT Press.

Patricia Fernandez-Aracil of the University of Alicante gave a presentation welcoming the delegates to the University.

Invited Presentations

There were invited lectures on advanced topics of research and applications, as follows:

• “Sediment transport at river contractions”, by Giuseppe Oliveto, University of Basilicata, Italy.
• “The impact of agriculture on the waters of the Idaho portion of the Snake River Basin, USA”, by Robert Mahler, University of Idaho, USA.

Conference Sessions

The papers presented during the conference were classified under the following headings:

• Erosion and sediment transport
• Hydrological modelling
• River restoration and rehabilitation
• Water governance and policies
• Hydraulics
• Flood risk management

There were numerous occasions for holding informal discussions during the coffee breaks and the complimentary lunches provided.

Technical Excursion

The delegates visited two locations, La Marjal Floodable Park and the University of Alicante Desalination Plant.

La Marjal is one of the flood prevention strategies created by the local council of Alicante. The park is 36,000 m2 and can hold up to 45,000 m3 of storm water. La Marjal acts as a reservoir, collecting and storing rainwater so that it can be reused. Both the local population and tourists can visit La Marjal Floodable Park outside of the rain periods and enjoy the gardens.

The University of Alicante's Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant was built in 1996 and started its operation in January 1997. Since its starting, the water produced has been earmarked for the irrigation of the on-campus green areas. At the same time, the Plant is involved in the training of postgraduates, technicians, etc. and is visited by different university and external groups.

Conference Publication

Papers presented at this conference will appear in Vol. 234 of the WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment (ISSN 1743-3541). Papers presented at the meeting will be available Open Access in the eLibrary of the Wessex Institute (https://www.witpress.com/elibrary) from where they can be freely downloaded by any interested parties.

A few papers were selected for publication in the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning. This Journal covers the subjects of environmental design and planning, environmental management, spatial planning, environmental planning, environmental management and sustainable development in an integrated way as well as in accordance with the principles of sustainability.

Conference Dinner

The Conference dinner took place at Darsena Restaurante, where the participants could enjoy local dishes, including an exceptional range of fresh fish and shellfish purchased daily from the nearby fish market. The evening was particularly appreciated by the participants.

Closing of the Conference

The conference was closed by Professor Stefano Mambretti, who thanked the delegates for attending and hoped that they would consider attending the next conference in the series which is due to be reconvened in 2021.

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