DAS Core Service ‘Climate and Water’

Progressive climate change will have a severe impact on the operation and maintenance of Germany’s federal waterways. In inland areas, changing weather conditions with extreme precipitation and dry periods are causing extraordinary floods and longer periods of low water conditions. In coastal areas, sea level rise in combination with changing fresh water discharges will influence tidal dynamics, salt intrusion and morphodynamics in particular. These changes affect the sediment transport in rivers and estuaries as well as the water levels relevant for waterway operation and maintenance and, as a result, the economic use of waterways by shipping. The ecosystem functions of rivers, estuaries, and the adjoining habitats requiring special protection are also affected.

The German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (Deutsche Anpassungsstrategie an den Klimawandel, DAS), which was introduced in 2008 by the German Federal Government, created the political framework for the 'DAS Core Service ‘Climate and Water’, which was established in 2020. Four higher authorities of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) cooperate within the service: Deutscher Wetterdienst (German National Meteorological Service), Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, German Federal Institute of Hydrology and Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute. The objective of their joint work is the evaluation of the impact of climate change on waterways and the ecosystem and the assessment of possible adaptation strategies.

The DAS Core Service ‘Climate and Water’ includes advisory services provided by the BAW and provides information on the impacts of climate change on water levels, flow and sediment transport in inland areas, estuaries and the German Bight. The consequences for fairway depths and widths are analysed using different climate projections and evaluated in terms of waterway navigability and economic efficiency of the shipping. The data are available to the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) as well as the scientific community and the public in general.

The service is currently in the start-up phase. Initial reports and data are already available on the Webseite. The service will be expanded successively in dialogue with the users.

Sources: The Federal Government (2008): German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change Berlin