Partners

The STARS4Water consortium, led by Deltares, consists of 21 partners with extensive experience on international large scale projects and covers a wide range of expertise. This international consortium comprises of academic and research institutes, SMEs and River Basin Organisations, securing the solid exchange of knowledge and experiences across scales and disciplines.

http://www.deltares.nl/en

Deltares is an independent knowledge institute for applied research in the field of water and subsurface. It stands as an independent foundation under Dutch law. Throughout the world, Deltares works on innovative solutions and applications for people, environment and society. Our main focus is on deltas, coastal regions and river basins. Managing densely populated and vulnerable areas is complex, which is why we work closely with governments, businesses, other research institutes, universities and NGO’s at home and abroad.
Deltares coordinated amongst others the following EC funded projects: GLOWASIS (A collaborative project aimed at pre-validation of a GMES Global Service for Water Scarcity Information), DEWFORA (Improved Drought Early Warning and FORecasting to strengthen preparedness and adaptation to droughts in Africa), REFORM (Restoring rivers FOR effective catchment Management) and eartH2Observe (Global Earth Observation for integrated water resource assessment). Ongoing relevant projects Deltares coordinates are CLIMAAX (CLIMAte risk and vulnerability Assessment framework and toolbox), REACHOUT (Resilience in Europe through Activating City Hubs reaching OUT to users with triple-a climate adaptation tools). Deltares contributes to for example ClimatEurope-2 (Supporting and standardizing climate services in Europe and beyond) and PEERS (Co-developing pathways towards Climate resilient regions in Europe).

Contact: Harm Duel, Project Coordinator (Harm.Duel@deltares.nl) or 
Judith ter Maat, co-coordinator (Judith.terMaat@deltares.nl)

http://www.seven-solutions.eu/ SEVEN is a Greek SME providing engineering consulting services. Its fields of intervention are in the areas of Water Resources, Environment, Energy, Geology and Urban Planning. Our strategic objective is to provide integrated and workable solutions, combining both advanced consulting and engineering research expertise. We introduce smart thinking, design practical approaches, and bring together interdisciplinary expertise to tackle critical environmental issues and bridge the gap between science and policy. We are further committed to contribute to the development of a marketplace of ideas for SMEs in the wider water sector, supporting business innovation. The current staff and associates of SEVEN have proved experience in hydrological and water resources modeling, hydro-informatics, software development and database management, environmental impact assessment, cost-benefit assessment, water management and river basin planning. In its 10 years of operation SEVEN has successfully participated in various project: EO4SD (ESA), Gender in WRM (GWP), IWRM Al-Ostuan (ACTED, MEW), ANELIXIS (Interreg), B2E4SustWWTP (LIFE), MARINA (H2020), RESPONSEABLE (H2020), SWIM 2020 SM (DG NEAR), EU Water Legislation, WFD, FD (DG ENV), EartH2Observe (FP7), SPADIS (EIP on Water), GR RBMPs and DMPs (Hellenic Ministry of the Environment), ABOT (DG ENV). Contact: Maggie Kossida (mkossida@seven-solutions.eu)

https://www.inrae.fr/en

INRAE is a national research institute in France for applied research, scientific expertise and public policy support on three key areas: agriculture, food, and the environment. Its mission is to carry out, organise and coordinate scientific and technological research on issues related to agriculture, food, forestry, environment, water resources, biodiversity, bioeconomy, circular economy, sustainable management of regions and risk management. The department on “Aquatic ecosystems, water resources and risks” carries out research on processes, observations and models related to aquatic ecosystems, hydrology and the water cycle, river basin management and biogeochemical cycles, sustainable management of water resources in regions most impacted by global change, and integrated management of natural and environmental risks towards socio-hydrologic ecosystems more resilient to climate change and to the rapid transformation of the environment by human activities. Relevant recent national and European research projects are: EXPLORE2, CIPRHES (ANR), PREMHYCE, PICS (ANR), IMPREX (H2020), AQUACLEW (JPI), CLIMAWARE (IWRM-NET), DROP (Interreg), PIREN-SEINE.


Contact: Maria-Helena Ramos (maria-helena.ramos@inrae.fr) and Alban de Lavenne (alban.delavenne@inrae.fr)

http://www.planet.com

Project partner VanderSat was acquired by US-based Planet Labs PBC in December 2021 and will continue its role in STARS4Water as such. Planet is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. With roughly 200 satellites in orbit, the company operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites, capturing over 30 TB of data per day. With the integration of VanderSat’s technologies and products that combine the best of commercial and public satellite data, Planet is able to report on key conditions on the Earth’s surface, like soil moisture, land surface temperature, vegetation optical depth, and biomass. The unique algorithms aim to deliver daily, global data products with great accuracy, unhindered by changing cloud-cover and atmospheric conditions.


Contact: Joost Beckers (joost.beckers@planet.com)

The BOKU University in Vienna, Austria, positions itself as a teaching and research institution focusing on renewable resources. The Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and River Research (IWA) is based at the new Danube River lab. The institute’s primary activities focus on integrated hydraulic engineering, emphasizing the core elements of water use, water protection, and protection from water-related hazards. These include our research areas and expertise in river management, renewable energy with sustainable hydropower, integrated flood risk management, (eco-) hydraulics, river research and hydraulic engineering, with an emphasis on sediment management and river morphology, river restoration as well as waterway infrastructure for inland navigation The institute also hosts the Christian Doppler Lab of Sediment Research, contributing significantly to advancements in sediment research. IWA is actively involved in several EU-level research projects in water resources and integrated river management. This includes coordinating Danube4all and DanubeSediments_Q2, as well as participating in EcoAdvance, EcoDaLLi, and Hydro4U. Through these initiatives, the institute aims to contribute to sustainable water resource management and hydraulic engineering practices that balance ecological and human needs.

https://www.igme.es/

IGME-CSIC is the Geological and Mining Surveys in Spain embedded into the Spanish National Research council. IGME is the center of reference for basic and applied research in Earth Sciences. Its main missions are the generation, transfer and dissemination of geological knowledge for the sustainable use of geological and hydrogeological resources, the prevention of natural disasters, the mitigation and adaptation to climate change, the conservation of geological heritage and scientific-technical advice to administrations,  private and other public sector and the society. IGME has accredited laboratories, a Library, National Repositories of Maps & Samples and a Museum. The employed staff is 385 people, 300 of them dedicated to scientific-technical activities. IGME has large experience in European and other international projects, being part of consortiums and leading projects. As examples of relevant European-wide research projects in which IGME-CSIC has been involved are e.g. NeWater, NAIAD, GeoERA-Water and TACTIC. IGME  currently participates in EU project as GSEU and LIFE-IP-Duero among others.

Contact: África de la Hera (a.delahera@igme.es)

http://www.ucm.es/hidrogeologia

The Universidad Complutense is a public university of Madrid, Spain. The Environmental Hydrogeology Research Group (HIDROYMAB – 910428) started in 2004, although some of its members have been working together for thirty years. The group is made up of researchers from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), as well as from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, the Royal Academy of Sciences, the Geological Survey of Spain, the Water Observatory of the Botín Foundation, and the United Nations Environment Programme. The research group is integrated in two clusters of the Moncloa Campus of International Excellence, namely, “Cultural heritage”; and “Global change and new energies”;. Our researchers currently work on numerous water-related projects. These focus on a variety of fields, including water quality, contamination, limnology, hydrological modelling, cooperation to development, environmental issues, and water governance. Since 2018, the Group hosts a UNESCO Chair, entitled “Appropriate Technologies for Human Development”. The Environmental Hydrogeology research group has taken part in numerous international projects since the late 1990s. These include GRAPES, GRAPES-II, LOWRGREP, NEWATER, I-CISK, CLINT and STARS4WATER, among others.

Contact: Pedro Martínez-Santos (pemartin@ucm.es)

Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management- Rijkswaterstaat (RWS)
https://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/en

Rijkswaterstaat is the executive agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, dedicated to promote safety, mobility and the quality of life in the Netherlands. We work with others to ensure that the country is protected against flooding, that there is an adequate supply of clean water, and that the citizens of the Netherlands are able to travel quickly and safely from A to B. Jointly promoting safety, mobility and the quality of life in the Netherlands is what Rijkswaterstaat stands for. With almost 225 years of expertise in planning the country’s infrastructure, we know that our task involves more than executing projects on the roads and waterways. It is also about balancing the interests of the economy, the environment and quality of life. Rijkswaterstaat involves citizens in shaping their living environment and works closely with (international) organizations such as water boards, municipalities, companies and research institutes. Together, we all work on sustainable solutions to promote safety, mobility and the quality of life in the Netherlands.

Contact: Jan Kruijshoop (jan.kruijshoop@rws.nl)

https://www.ceh.ac.uk/

The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology is an independent, not-for-profit research institute carrying out excellent environmental science with impact. Our 500 scientists provide the data and insights that researchers, governments and businesses need to create a productive, resilient and healthy environment.   Scientific curiosity, integrity and transparency are at the heart of how we work. Our research extends from molecular biology to global climate modelling, and we carry out fieldwork across the world, from the semi-arid West African Sahel to the rainforests of South East Asia. Our focus is on mitigating and building resilience to climate change, preventing and reducing pollution, and creating sustainable ecosystems. We believe that the best solutions are co-designed and co-delivered, and our partnerships cross borders, sectors and disciplines. We are a strategic delivery partner for the Natural Environment Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.


Contact:  Gwyn Rees (hgrees@ceh.ac.uk)

https://www.fz-juelich.de/en

As a member of the Helmholtz Association with more than 7,000 employees, FZJ conducts research into the possibilities of a digitized society, a climate-friendly energy system, and a resource-efficient
economy. FZJ combines natural, life and engineering sciences in the fields of information, energy, and the bioeconomy with specialist expertise in high-performance computing. At FZJ, the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences – Agrosphere (IBG-3) conducts research to improve our understanding of biogeochemical and hydrological processes in terrestrial systems. Specific studies focus on environmental controls on biogeochemical cycling of elements, the analysis of exchange
processes and nutrient dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. A combination of experiments, modelling and innovative observation technologies is used to bridge the gap between model,
process and management scale. Its research contributes to the sustainable and resource-conserving use of soils and water and to the quantification of the effect of climate and land use change on
terrestrial ecosystems. We offer a excellent, interdisciplinary working environment in the areas of experiments and modelling.

Contact: Stefan Kollet (s.kollet@fz-juelich.de)

The Institute for Machine Learning conducts research and provides profound education in machine learning. It focuses on fundamental research and methodological development. The second cornerstone of
research is knowledge transfer to industry, i.e., “translational research”. As of now expertise has been developed in the application of machine methods to various domains like medicine, drug discovery,
autonomous driving, earth science, natural language processing, and control. The institute is led by Sepp Hochreiter and is affiliated with Johannes Kepler University Linz and is also one of the founding units of European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS).


The Institute is located in Linz, Austria. Near the Austrian alps, the once European capital of culture mixes a balance between nature and urban life. A part of the institute is also located in the city of
Vienna, Austria.

https://www.nve.no/hydrology/

NVE is subordinate to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and is responsible for administrating the nation’s water and renewable energy resources. We are also the national hydrological services, and our Hydrology department covers the areas of hydrometry, hydrological modelling, and water resources analyses, including glaciers, snow and ice, and sediment transport. We are also an important contributor to national and international research. R&D activities concentrate on applied problems related to NVE’s national responsibilities, with research programs aimed at providing an improved basis for water resources management, including monitoring and forecasting of floods and droughts. Current research activities focus on impact based hydrological forecasting and the effects of climate change on hydrology. We are a member of the Norwegian Centre for Climate Services with a focus on providing municipalities and decision makers in Norway with tailor made data for climate change adaptation.

As the administrative unit for the Norwegian Water Resources Act, NVE has a leading role in implementing flood contingency planning in Norwegian rivers and in the quantitative aspects of the European Water Framework Directive, including setting levels for environmental flows. We are one of very few institutions where both hydrological research and water resources management co-exist. This creates a strong synergistic effect. A huge advantage is that critical knowledge gaps and relevant research needs can be easily identified and addressed. Another important advantage is the close contact with various user groups and stakeholders at the national, regional, and local levels, providing input with respect to the applicability of research output. In addition to national research collaboration, NVE is at present (2023) involved in the ISI-MIP collaboration and Green Sponge Buildings (Interreg).


Contact: Hege Hisdal (hhi@nve.no)

https://www.crete.gov.gr/

The Region of Crete is one of the 13 administrative sections of Greece (NUTS Level II) and is a Regional Self-administration body. The Regional Governor and the Regional Council are elected by the people. The Region of Crete has various responsibilities, competences, and duties in all sectors of the economy and society, among which the protection of the environment. The Directorate of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Region of Crete, which participate in STARS4Water, has competences at regional level within the whole spectrum of environmental issues and climate change, particular in water resources management, master plan of water infrastructures, climate change, renewable energy resources. Relevant recent national and European research projects include: LIFE IP 4 NATURA, iWATERMAP, REPLACE, WINPOL, TANIA, RRI2SCALE, ROBINSON.

Contact: Dr.Marinos Kritsotakis (Kritsotakis@crete.gov.gr), Dr. Maria Kandilogiannaki (mkandil@crete.gov.gr), and Fotis Pantazoglou (fpantazoglou@crete.gov.gr)

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/wrmp

Anglian Water is the largest water and water recycling company in England and Wales by geographic area. It supplies water and water recycling services to almost seven million people in the East of England, the UK’s fastest growing region.  Anglian Water was the first major utility to enshrine its purpose in the fabric of the company’s constitution, its legal Articles of Association, which is “to bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve through our commitment to Love Every Drop”.  Anglian Water has been a pioneer in carbon reduction and is on track to be operationally net zero carbon by 2030.  The company has also held the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development continuously since 2015.

 

The Anglian Water area has a high proportion of flat and low-lying areas, including The Fens in Cambridgeshire and the Norfolk Broads.  There is a long coastline and a quarter of the region lies below sea level.  The region is also dry, receiving just 600 millimetres of rain each year which is on average a third less than the rest of England.  The company’s water supplies are derived from groundwater and rivers, with river water pumped into storage in eight reservoirs.  Water resources are under significant pressure, with droughts expected to increase in frequency as the climate changes, with a need to leave more water in the environment for ecological benefits.  As well as smart metering all customers, Anglian Water is proposing to build two new storage reservoirs and a water re-use facility, and is actively evaluating desalination.


Contact: Dr Geoff Darch: gdarch@anglianwater.co.uk

https://www.bafg.de/

The Federal Institute of Hydrology (Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde, BfG) is a higher federal authority within the portfolio of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. It is the federal scientific institute for research in the fields of hydrology, water management and water protection. The Institute advises federal ministries with various responsibilities and their subordinate authorities against the background of their respective tasks and topical societal challenges, such as climate change and extreme hydrological events.

Within the scope of its tasks, BfG contributes to waterway management (on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport), national flood hazard management and water management (on behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection). In river commissions and working groups, BfG engages in regular dialogue with national and international authorities active in these fields.

BfG has conducted and conducts studies to assess the impacts of human activities and changing natural boundary conditions on the structures and functions of water bodies and their interactions with other environmental compartments. To support these studies, BfG draws on proprietary hydrological and water management models of Germany’s major rivers, including their international catchment shares. BfG has detailed experience and skills in the field of transport water management, e.g. in relation to the causes, occurrence and consequences of extreme low water situations in the past and future, as well as in modelling flood discharge processes in rivers, including the effects of flood protection measures, such as dyke relocations. In addition, BfG hosts and operates monitoring, forecasting and climate change advisory services used by numerous addressees to underpin and inform their day-to-day and strategic management decisions.


Contact: Dr. Enno Nilson (nilson@bafg.de)

https://www.sggw.edu.pl/en/                 

The Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS) is the largest agricultural university in Poland, established in 1816 in Warsaw. Having acquired the membership of Euroleague for Life Sciences in 2005, the university is heavily focused in research and active collaboration in various areas of natural resource management and environmental sciences. The Institute of Environmental Engineering addresses different global environmental problems under seven research and teaching units in the fields of hydrology, hydraulics, environmental management, remote sensing, and landscape art and architecture. WULS has vast experience as both leading institutes and research partner in the European research arena. Examples of European-wide research projects in which WULS has been involved are:, SCENES, REFORM, CHASE-PL, BONUS RETURN, Interreg CE – TEACHER, Interreg BSR – DESIRE, Life Kampinos, Life – Wetlife, OPTAIN, MERLIN, WetHorizons, Nordbalt Ecosafe. Additionally, WULS has coordinated and is coordinating the projects Interreg CE – FramWat, GRIEG FORCE.

Contact: Tomasz Okruszko (tomasz_okruszko@sggw.edu.pl)

https://ypen.gov.gr/ ; https://ypen.gov.gr/perivallon/ydatikoi-poroi/diacheirisi-ydatikon-poron/

The General Directorate of Water/Directorate of Protection & Management of Aquatic Environment of the Hellenic Ministry of Environment & Energy is the governmental authority with the overall responsibility for establishing the national water policy in Greece, in accordance with the requirements of EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and other water related Directives. It is responsible for the coordination of development/update and the reporting to the EU of the River Basin Management Plans of the country’s 14 RBDs. Furthermore, the General Directorate of Water/Directorate of Protection & Management of Aquatic Environment is responsible, among others, for the coordination of all agencies and state institutions, the supervision of the activities of the Regional Water Directorates, the monitoring, at national level, of the quality and quantity of water resources and the preparation of annual reports on the status of the Greek water resources. It has also the overall reponsibility for the implementation of other EU Directives related to water, such as the Floods Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Groundwater Directive, the Bathing Water Directive etc. In the framework of the implementation of the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC), the General Directorate of Water/Directorate of Protection & Management of Aquatic Environment is responsible for the evaluation and the management of flood risks to reduce the negative impacts on human health, the environment, the cultural heritage and the economic activities, the preparation of flood hazard and risk maps, the development of national flood risk management programmes and the coordination of their implementation. The General Directorate of Water/Directorate of Protection & Management of Aquatic Environment is also responsible, inter alia, for the development and implementation of national Marine Strategy Programs with respect to the protection and management of marine ecosystems in the framework of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC), as well as the coordination of the implementation of the bathing water quality monitoring programme, the assessment of bathing water quality and the annual reporting to the EU concerning the assessment of bathing water quality (Bathing Water Directive – 2006/7/EC).

Contact: Spyros Tassoglou (s.tasoglou@prv.ypeka.gr), Roula Liakou (s.liakou@prv.ypeka.gr)

https://www.seinegrandslacs.fr/  

EPTB Seine Grands Lacs is a French public institution carrying out 3 missions : flood protection and prevention, low flow support and adapting to climate change. To regulate the Seine river and its main tributaries, Seine Grands Lacs operates four large artificial reservoirs built between the 1950s and 1990s. Its territory represents the Seine river basin from upstream to Paris. Seine Grands Lacs acts in favor of reducing flood vulnerability, is setting up on a new hydraulic structure, La Bassée project, to complete the protection system against flooding, and reduce the foreseeable damages linked to these phenomena.

Contact: Charlotte Barbé (charlotte.barbe@seinegrandslacs.fr) and Delphine Bizouard (delphine.bizouard@seinegrandslacs.fr)