International Year for Glaciers Preservation launch day: Waterwise will lead a side event on the 21st of January
“Future Mountain Groundwater Resources: Identifying challenges and guiding science and practice”: the side event will be held online and will provide an opportunity to discuss Waterwise core themes.
As glaciers retreat, groundwater will increasingly become the critical resource sustaining river flows and ecosystems. However, our understanding of mountain groundwater systems and their interactions with the cryosphere remains limited by significant data and knowledge gaps. These uncertainties significantly hinder our capacity to develop effective adaptation strategies in the face of rapid environmental changes.
This side event offers a platform for participants from diverse backgrounds and regions to engage in discussions about the future of mountain groundwater resources and management. Together, we will discuss key uncertainties affecting our knowledge and review actionable solutions to improve monitoring, scientific understanding, and sustainable management practices.
The event will feature keynotes from scientists and stakeholders, along with interactive activities and group discussions, fostering collaboration across disciplines.
“Future Mountain Groundwater Resources: Identifying challenges and guiding science and practice”, 10-11 am CET, LINK
Agenda:
- Overview on cryo-hydrogeological processes, Pr. Bettina Schaefli, Prof. of Hydrology, University of Bern, Institute of Geography & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research,
- Groundwater recharge and paraglacial slope deformation – perspectives from the Aletsch glacier, Dr. Nicolas Oestreicher, Geologist at WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
- Data gaps and opportunities, Dr. James Thornton, Senior Research Scientist, Mountain Research Initiative, University of Bern
Chaired by: Clément Roques, University of Neuchâtel; Monica Tolotti, Fondazione Edmund Mach;
