From Distressing to Addressing: HKA Tackles Alpine Climate Crisis

Glacial melting, heat waves, and changing precipitation patterns call for strategic and transnational water management

Constant, rigorous resource use has negatively impacted our environment, extending beyond national borders. Climate change is reshaping the Alpine region, where melting glaciers and shifting precipitation patterns endanger rivers and groundwater reserves. The EU-co-funded “Waterwise” project, helmed by the Interreg Alpine Space program, and in collaboration with Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) and 11 other partners from seven Alpine countries—France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia has joined forces to address the crisis and develop cross-border solutions for sustainable water resource management in the Alpine region.

Managing Alpine Water Resources: From Mountain Peaks to Urban Areas

The management of Alpine water resources begins at their source—melting glaciers, snowfields, and shifting precipitation patterns—and extends downstream to urban centers where water scarcity can disrupt socioeconomic stability across borders. A striking example is the Val d’Ursé valley in Switzerland, where mountain streams nourish the Adda and Po rivers, lifelines for the economy and society of northern Italy.

The impacts of global warming are starkly evident in glacial melt rates. From 2005 to 2018, two of Germany’s last remaining glaciers in the Zugspitze region lost between one-third and half of their ice mass. In France, the Tré-la-Tête glacier suffered significant ice loss, equivalent to 6,000 Olympic swimming pools, within just two years (2014–2016). Meanwhile, Austria’s Jamtal region is witnessing accelerated glacier retreat, with the Galtür weather station documenting a 2°C increase in mean temperature compared to the baseline of 1961–1990.

Visible Effects of Climate Change

Glacier melting and diminishing snow cover stand as stark reminders of climate change’s profound impact, threatening both the vital mountain springs and the Alpine groundwater reserves they sustain. These challenges are intensified by heat waves, prolonged droughts, and unpredictable precipitation patterns, creating a ripple effect across ecosystems and communities.

The consequences extend beyond water supply, endangering biodiversity in unique Alpine habitats. For instance, the Grande Sassière basin is home to 20 rare plant species reliant on its wetlands, which now face an uncertain future. These disruptions also directly affect water availability and quality for countless Alpine communities, both private and public.

Real-world examples underscore the significance of these changes. In Trentino-South Tyrol, the municipality of Ziano di Fiemme depends on the Sadole spring, which is sustained by a rock glacier in the Val Sadole valley. Similarly, Mount Petzen, straddling the border between Austria and Slovenia, provides essential water resources for local communities and supports hydropower generation.

Strategic Integration of Water Management

The growing challenges posed by glacier melt, shrinking snow cover, and shifting precipitation patterns underscore the urgency of integrating watershed management into strategic policy-making. Water availability is a cornerstone of sustainability, underpinning critical sectors such as energy production, agriculture, industry, and tourism—key drivers of the economy in the Alps and neighboring regions.

“Waterwise” Project Goals and Initial Meeting

In the face of mounting water resource challenges and the escalating impacts of climate change, the Waterwise project is spearheading efforts to support Alpine communities and protected areas in crafting long-term strategies for resilience. This innovative initiative focuses on equipping local stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to safeguard water resources and adapt to evolving environmental pressures.

The project took center stage at its inaugural meeting in mid-November 2024, held in Poschiavo, Switzerland, where an international, interdisciplinary team convened to address these critical issues.

“Projects like Waterwise are crucial as they address the urgent global issue of climate change through innovative and collaborative approaches,” said Clément Roques, the project’s scientific coordinator and a senior researcher at the Center for Hydrogeology and Geothermal Energy (CHYN) at the University of Neuchâtel.

Monica Tolotti, a researcher with the Hydrobiology group at the Edmund Mach Foundation and the project’s administrative lead partner, echoed this sentiment: “To tackle these challenges effectively, transnational collaboration among stakeholders, policymakers, and administrative authorities is essential.”

Development of a Digital Toolbox

At the heart of the Waterwise initiative lies the development of a cutting-edge digital toolbox designed to enhance the resilience of Alpine regions. This comprehensive suite of projecting and analysis tools will be tailored to the unique needs of diverse regional conditions through collaborative workshops, ensuring its relevance and adaptability across the Alpine landscape.

The toolbox aims to provide practical solutions for managing water resources, safeguarding biodiversity, and addressing the impacts of climate change. Its design ensures transferability, enabling other regions to adopt and benefit from its applications.

Pilot regions set to implement and refine the toolbox include Contamines Montjoie and Grande Sassière (France), Jamtal (Austria), Rèchy (Switzerland), Sadole (Italy), the Zugspitze region (Germany), and the transboundary aquifer of Mount Petzen (Austria/Slovenia). Additional Alpine areas will be integrated to test the toolbox’s versatility across a variety of environmental and hydrological conditions.

HKA’s Role in the Project

The Waterwise project’s implementation in the German study area at Zugspitze is being spearheaded by HKA in collaboration with the University of Passau. Together, they are tackling one of the project’s core challenges: enhancing hydrological data availability in the Alpine region.

HKA, in partnership with the University of Neuchâtel, co-leads the first work package, which focuses on harmonized data collection and methodologies. Central to this effort are low-cost sensor systems and crowdsourcing approaches, designed to bridge gaps in data collection within remote Alpine catchments where standardized measurement stations are limited. Workshops and educational materials are being developed to support these innovative tools, empowering communities to actively participate in monitoring and managing their water resources.

“In remote Alpine catchments where standardized measurement stations are scarce, low-cost sensors and crowdsourcing provide valuable methods to derive critical insights about water bodies and their future developments,” explained Prof. Dr. Markus Noack from HKA’s Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering and head of the university’s Hydraulic Engineering Research Facility.

Collaborative Effort Across Institutions

Co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Alpine Space Program, the Waterwise project thrives on robust collaboration, uniting 12 distinguished partners: the University of Neuchâtel (scientific lead, Switzerland), Edmund Mach Foundation (administrative lead, Italy), Réserves naturelles de France (France), Legambiente Piemonte e Valle d’Aosta (Italy), EGTC Geopark Karawanken (Austria, Slovenia), University of Passau (Germany), Geological Survey of Slovenia (Slovenia), Tetraktys (France), Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Alpinarium Galtür Documentation GmbH (Austria), Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente Lombardia (Italy), and CREALP: Alpine Environment Research Center (Switzerland).

A Project for Sustainable Water Management

As climate change continues to disrupt natural processes, projects like “Waterwise” provide a blueprint for sustainable development. Through transnational collaboration, innovative technology, and a commitment to preserving biodiversity, the Alpine region can adapt to and mitigate the impacts of a changing climate. This project offers valuable lessons for other regions facing similar challenges worldwide.

Contact
International Waterwise Press Office
Elisa Leo (Legambiente Piemonte e Valle d’Aosta)
Tel: +39 3474066702
Email: e.leo@legambiente.it

Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA)
Moltkestraße 30, 76133 Karlsruhe
Press and Communication
H. Gust 
Tel: +49 721/925-1016, Fax: +49 721/925-1005
Email: pk@h-ka.de
Website: www.h-ka.de