Improvement of drought and excess water monitoring for supporting water management
and mitigation of risks related to extreme weather conditions

 

Weather extremes, intensified by climate change, can more and more frequently lead to the development of hydrological hazards. Among these drought and inland (excess) water inundation has the largest areal coverage and also the greatest regular impact on the agro-economic potential and sustainable development of the CB region. In spite of several earlier initiatives, the estimation and mitigation of related risks have not reached an operative level yet. Since the aforementioned challenges are of regional character and affect both SE-Hungary and Vojvodina equally, solutions call for joint action.

The present project proposal primarily aims at the development of innovative and harmonized monitoring solutions and water management operational plans to facilitate early warning and raise outputs to an operative level. The capitalization and multiplier effect of project results is guaranteed by the establishment of a joint HUSRB-CB Drought and Excess Water Research and Monitoring Centre, responsible for further R&D, implementation of new monitoring techniques to water management, and agriculture, communication and networking. Project outcomes will highly contribute to the development of cross-border water management and risk prevention systems, to the improvement of the ecological and quantitative status of water bodies, and to the minimization of drought and inland excess water inundation risks. Moreover, the results will also support the sustainable development and climate resilience of strategic sectors and the entire CB region as well.

The project is generated and planned to be implemented by the most important sectorial research centers of the region (SZTE, UNSPMF, and UNSFA) in cooperation with the relevant water management authorities of both countries (ATIVIZIG and PWMC Vode Vojvodine). The expertise and experience of partners secure the successful elaboration of outlined outcomes, and the professional management and execution of scientific, operative, and communicational tasks.

 

 

Number of Partners: 5

Project duration: 01/10/2017 – 30/9/2019

Project Budget: 852 085 EUR

Project Lead Partner: University of Szeged, Department of Physical Geography and Geoinformatics

Contact Person: János Bajusz

Contact details: bajusz.janos@gmf.u-szeged.hu