Opening

Prof. Leopold Füreder (ÖAW & ISCAR & University of Innsbruck)

Markus Reiterer (Secretary General of the Alpine Convention)

Mag. Ingrid Felipe (LH Stellvertreterin)

Ing. Ronald Petrini (Tourism association Reutte)

Module 1: Analyzing water-related hotspots in the Alps

Chair: Rolf Weingartner

Although there is sufficient water in the Alpine region, seasonal and regional scarcity of supply must be expected in the future. In addition, global warming will lead to a destabilization of high mountain areas and change the landscape. These developments are overlaid by the socio-economic dynamics and the increasing water demand of existing and new user groups. Module 1 aims to identify, describe and locate current and future conflicts of use in the Alpine region. For this purpose, the participants work out an exemplary overview of water-related conflicts (hot spots). The results form the basis for the discussion in the following modules.

Mapping of Alpine water hotspots

Keynote

Rolf Weingartner: Analyzing alpine water related hotspots: Setting the ground

Introduction Group Work

Klaus Lanz: What is a water-related hotspot and how can we map it?

Coffee break

Workshop 1.1 – Existing water-related hotspots and hazards

Chair: Andreas Schaffhauser (ZAMG, Vienna)
Support for mapping: Heidi Humer-Gruber (University of Innsbruck)

Any change or a seasonal reduction of the available water resources can cause serious management challenges and downstream conflicts in the Alpine Region. Therefore the results of hydroclimatological models with different RCP scenarios give a very valuable quantification of future climate change effects on the availability of water resources in e.g. the Ötztal Alps (Tyrol,Austria).
The Copernicus program and Earth Observation in genral can contribute to a continuous and area-wide monitoring of water resources in the Alps. Such a monitoring will increase not only the understanding of hydrological processes under a changing climate, but also support sustainable water management for irrigation, energy production or technical snow production.

Inputs
Ulrich Strasser & Thomas Marke: Hydrological scenarios in the Austrian Alps for the next century with enhanced process understanding of seasonal snow and glacier melt for improved water resources management first results of the HydroGeM3 project

Marc Zebisch, C. Notarnicola, C. Marin, M. Callegari & F. Greifeneder: The Alps Water tower – an earth observation perspective

Discussion & mapping

Workshop 1.2 – Emerging water-related hotspots and hazards due to climate change

Chair: Andrea Fischer (IGF)

Support for mapping: Valerie Braun (IGF)

Alpine Landscapes can be read as imprints of the forming forces, amongst them frozen and liquid water. One various time scales, natural processes as drifting continents, formation and disappearance of seas, erosion and deposition as well as climate changes influence topography and conditions for life. After the last glacial maximum, human activities changed the landscape by land use and cultural practices. The workshop aims at tackling various aspects of water as geomorphological parameter influencing the landscape, as well as modern anthropogenic aspects and views on water availability and management. The workshop aims at discussing past and modern influence of water on natural and cultural landscapes.

Inputs

Marco Di Tullo, A. Nascetti, N. Emanuelli, F. Nocchi , A. Camplani & M. Crespi: AR Big Data and Google Earth Engine: key tools for glaciers health monitoring

Jan-Christoph Otto & Markus Keuschnig: Future lakes – future potentials. New lakes in Austria following glacier retreat.

Discussion & mapping

Workshop 1.3 – Emerging water-related hotspots and hazards due to socio-economic changes

Chair: Elisabeth Sötz (WWF Austria)

Support for mapping: Anna Schöpfer (University of Innsbruck)

Natural hazards have always been common in the Alps. In the course of climate change, hazard hotspots might be shifting – due to glacier retreat, permafrost melting, or changing precipitation. The first aim of this workshop is to visualize known hot spots and current destabilization events on a (webGIS) map.

Apart the hazard occurrence, exposure and vulnerability play an equally important role in disaster risk. Therefore, the second step will be to match the pure hazard map with other factors such as population density.

In conclusion, the workshop seeks to emphasize key factors to take into account when we have to deal with increasing destabilization.

Inputs
Thomas Thaler, Andreas Zischg, Maria Papathoma-Köhle, Margreth Keiler & Sven Fuchs: Fair distribution of risk and benefits – the challenges of social justices in mountain hazard management

Caterina Franco: The construction of a landscape for tourism. The role of water in the creation of high altitude ski resorts in the French-italian Alps (1950-1980)Discussion & mapping

Excursion: Lechtal LIFE project

Chair: Leopold Füreder (University of Innsbruck)
Presenters: Leopold Füreder, Wolfgang Klien, Reinhard Rentner

With its large dynamic gravel banks and other wild riverine landscape elements the River Lech belongs to the most threatened river types in Europe. In 2016 the project “Dynamic River System Lech” within the EU-funded scheme “LIFE multiannual work programme” was launched. Under the Sub-programme for Environment, project activities are concentrated within the priorities Environment and Resource Efficiency, Nature and Biodiversity, and Environmental Governance and Information. Quite a variety of water management measures together with habitat and species protection activities have been planned and implemented to restore formerly impacted river stretches. Being the second LIFE project on this river, it provides also for evaluation, reassessment and monitoring of earlier performed restoration measures. After the introductory presentations, enjoy this inspiring atmosphere during the excursion to the River Lech, followed by a social dinner in a mountain restaurant.

Visits: information center, investigated sites

Local dinner and music (Bluatschink)

optional: visit the suspension bridge – Highline 179
local dinner at Gasthof Klause
music: Bluatschink