Hamburg Flood Protection Congress

Effective development of coastal defence measures depends on the most realistic possible future scenario for the actual impact of climate change. Specifically in this area, there will always be uncertainties, because forecast models, however accurate they may be, are never more than an approximation to reality. The Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute is trying to get the most accurate possible prediction of future development of water levels of surge flood peaks. This organisation has a mathematical simulation model which provides good estimates for the tidal area of the Elbe, to be presented at acqua alta.

Africa will be harder hit by climate change than any other continent. The warming of the ocean waters and the rise in sea level will have direct impact on the protective function and the biodiversity of the mangrove forests and the coral reefs. The Niger Delta is Africa's most densely populated region and number four in global petroleum production. Yemi Akegbejo-Samsons of the University of Agriculture in Nigeria will report at acqua alta on the various challenges posed by this multifunctional ecosystem, and on the importance of reforestation of mangrove forests for climate change mitigation.

Coastal protection in Germany will also be addressed at acqua alta. With 3,700 kilometres of coastline and with tidal estuaries stretching far inland, there are many areas subject to flood risk. Dr. Frank Ahlhorn of the Centre for Environment and Sustainability Research (COAST) at the University of Oldenburg is engaged in research on a coastal region in Lower Saxony,  looking for regional climate adaptation strategies for the Weser marshland, much of which is below sea level..

Dr. Jimmy Murphy of the Hydraulics and Maritime Research Centre (HMRC) at University College Cork (Ireland) is conducting research on the further development of building materials for dike crests. The use of absorbent geotextile mats may reduce the overtopping speed of flood waves. The installation of retention systems may avoid the need to increase dike height, without losing functionality.

Innovative methods of coastal protection are being developed by Frederik Treuel (Dipl.-Ing.) at the Institute of River and Coastal Engineering of the Hamburg University of Technology. He is running a large-scale field trial at the west coast of the North Sea island of Sylt, in the framework of the KLIMZUG-NORD research project, to test the use of polyurethane adhesives to attach coastal protection works made of iron silicate rubble. That produces a stable long-term cover with strong adhesion and high porosity. This cover protects the beach there by taking up the force of the breaking waves and preventing erosion of the beach.