Enhancing hydrodiversity for improving catchment based climate resilience

The present project aims to enhance the effectiveness of ecosystem services provided by freshwater wetlands to adapt and mitigate climate change by combining and promoting nature-based solution approaches (NBS). In the context of this application, NBS are defined as living solutions inspired and supported by nature, simultaneously providing environmental, social and economic benefits and helping to build resilience. We use the term hydrodiversity to denote the variety of different hydrological units within a catchment. The overall purpose of our research is to promote hydrodiversity by showing the benefits of a system of different solutions using an evidence-based modelling framework.
The specific goals linked to selected work packages (WP) of this project are to
(a) provide a database accounting for the combined interactions between ecosystem services, hydrological functions and the climate system. The database will include both historical data as well as new data from a suggested monitoring program for selected cases (WP1);
(b) develop methodology to quantify ecosystem services with respect to hydrological functions in a catchment-based context in today’s and future climates to form strategies and management plans (WP2);
(c) develop a catchment-based decision support tool to assist in the construction of new wetlands by helping decision makers to find the optimum location and management strategies of new wetlands (WP3)
(d) promote stakeholder engagement as well as the dissemination and publication of key findings to international scientific assessment initiatives, national policy makers and city governors (WP4).

The last centuries has led to significant changes in the hydrology of Swedish catchments. For example, farm land and forests have been drained, rivers have been dredged and straitened, lakes have been lowered, etc. This has led to that the water storage capacity of catchments has been reduced and transport times has increased. The consequences of this is that the hydrological system has been more sensitive to extreme weather events. Risks associated with water shortage during droughts and floods after heavy rainfall have thus increased. The expected future climate change will further expose the hydrological systems to changes that will lead to even bigger risks in the coming century.
The research described in the present application aims to increase the hydrodiversity of Swedish catchments to replicate a more natural state. Our main research questions are; what are the hydrological benefits of wetlands and how can you create a diverse system of wetlands to achieve the optimal benefit?
The results from the project will lead to an increased ability of catchments to cope with extreme weather, both today and in the future. In the project, the hydrological benefit of wetlands will be quantified, both in terms of water volumes and in economical values. Using a hydrological model as a base, a decision support tool will be developed. The tool will be tested in five case catchments. The tool will support decision makers and other stakeholders to make informed and evidence-based decisions for the optimal location, design, and management of wetlands and wetland systems. Even if the focus of our research is the hydrological function of wetlands, an increasing hydrodiversity will also lead to other positive effects like an increasing biodiversity and a better water quality.