River Basin Management Planning

The implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is essentially on the development of management plans and programs of measures within the framework of so-called river basin management plans (RBMPs). We have worked with an emphasis on the Berlin-Brandenburg region numerous RBMPs and can therefore present extensive experience. Due to the constantly varying conditions that arise solely between rural and urban areas, a comprehensive range of water management studies is needed in the processing of RBMPs. From the first deficit analysis to public participation, we support the process of designing measures.

We offer the following services in connection with river basin management plans:

• geodata processing

• structural quality mapping and river inspection
  

• longitudinal flow rate sections and flow monitoring

• hydrological and hydrodynamic modeling

• material flow modeling

• Peaty soil mapping

• Action concepts / preliminary planning / planning

Geodata Processing

River Basin Management plans serve for the assessment of measures as well as for the evaluation of the situation in river basins. The expertise of the engineering company Sieker regarding geodata processing enable fast acquisition and processing of existing data and also of the one generated in RBMPs. The engineering company Sieker works with ArcMap 9.2 ArcMap 10.1 and QGis including numerous applications (e.g. hydraulic tools, FloodArea). If necessary, custom software modules can be programmed.

Structural Quality Mapping and River Basin Inspection

The parameters for the structural quality mapping are digitally recorded by specially trained auxiliary staff in the field. At the same time a detailed photographic documentation is created in most cases, which can be delivered as a standalone GIS application.

Equipment: The engineering company Sieker has toughbooks with digital input masks for structural quality mapping, digital camera technology with GPS referencing and pole filtering, inflatable dinghy, waders.

Flow Measurements

Drain-related issues, such as the derivation of minimum ecological runoff, base on the one hand on to the modeling and on the other hand on the measurement of flow velocities in rivers. This measurements are performend by the engineering company Sieker depending on the scope with different methods. Speed measurements on the water surface are used for the creation of longitudinal speed sections. To determine exact drains, flow velocities are measured at different depths.
Equipment: The engineering company Sieker has a hydrometric impeller for determining flow rates.

Hydrologic Modelling

To plan measures of river development hydrological or hydrodynamic models are often needed. Common cases of application for the hydrological modeling is the calculation of design rain, low water levels, or flood discharges in the aquatic environment, effects of measures in the catchment area (unsealing, use change) or calculation of the quasi-natural water resources.

The hydro-dynamic modeling is used to simulate water levels and flow rates. Thus, it is an important and often mandatory tool in the planning of such measures, which directly affect the flow dynamics of a water body. This can be among other changes a bassin raise, profile constrictions, changes in the roughness (e.g. by changing water maintenance or flood control).

The coupling of hydrological and hydrodynamic models allows to create management models for water systems of engineering company Sieker in the scope of water development concepts.

For more information about #Hydrodynamic modeling and  #Hydrological modeling

Equipment: hydrodynamic modeling (1-D and 2-D) is carried out with HEC-RAS. The hydrological modeling is carried out with STORM.XXL and NASIM.

Material Flow Modeling

The "good chemical status" is one of the superior objectives of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). This applies both to priority substances, as well as general physicochemical parameters. The measurement of material parameters takes place in the waters. On base of the material flow modeling discharge paths can be determined and future charges calculated. The material flow modeling can refer to smaller sub-catchments of the receiving waters, but also large-scale ones.
More information on material flow modeling can be found here.

Equipment: The engineering company Sieker is equiped with the application # STORM-SEWSYS a dynamic accumulation-ablation model for polluting load simulation.

Peaty Soil Mapping

Particularly in the areas of the northeast German lowlands form waters and fens contiguous, corresponding ecosystems. The amelioration of peat soils for the purpose of agricultural use and the degradation of rivers by deepening, straightening and damming control carried out in the past at the same time. The loss of the buffering capacity of wetland soils, both in hydraulic, as well as in material point of view, deteriorated gradually the conditions of the waters.

Where peat soils and rivers form a spatial unit, it is often the target action planning, to achieve synergy effects for the landscape water balance, for the waters and for the habitat and conservation. Therefore targeted synergy measures require an inventory of water adjacent soils. The engineering company Sieker performs for this purpose investigations of mineral, boggy and marshy soils.

Equipment: The engineering company Sieker has 1m and 2m-augers. Lances for the sampling of peat soils are obtained from cooperation partners.