HEADLINES
- SEDNET EVENTS 2006: 22-24 NOVEMBER, VENICE
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SedNet Events 2006: 22-24 November, Venice
22-23 November 2006: Strategic Round Table discussion on Sediment management as essential element of River Basin Management Plans
Based on the EU Water Framework Directive by 2009 River Basin Management Plans have to be implemented. SedNet’s recommendation is that sediment management should become a part of these plans (quality and quantity). It is SedNet’s ambition to provide scientific and practical guidance on how to consider sediment management issues when developing the RBMP.
SedNet therefore foresees to organize a Strategic Round Table discussion with a limited group of experts, river board members, and representatives of user groups for different river basins.
The basic idea is to bring needs and ideas together and to develop conceptual approaches on how to address sediment related issues in a river basin management plan. For this, working groups on up to four European river basins will be formed during the event, in which information and statements will be exchanged and potential challenges and their solutions discussed.
The outcome of this Round Table will be combined statements to support WFD implementation and is meant to provide information to river basin commissions, to inform and raise awareness in “Brussels” and with other key players.
Participation to the Round Table discussion is for invited persons only.
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24 November 2006: SedNet Symposium "Sediment key-issues between the river and the sea"
Hence, SedNet is organizing a one day symposium on Friday November 24th, 2006 entitled: "Sediment key-issues between the river and the sea". This symposium is aimed at discussing and defining the SCIENTIFIC sediment key-issues at stake in the transition area between the river basin and the marine system.
The outcome will be used to draft a SedNet position paper on this issue.
The event is hosted by UNESCO at Palazzo Zorzi in Venice, Italy (venue to be confirmed).
The symposium is open to all to attend.
A Call for Abstracts (deadline for submission 21st July) resulted in about 30 suggestions for oral presentations. In the next couple of weeks the SedNet Steer Group will select 12 abstracts for oral presentation at the conference. The conference program will be available end of August / beginning of September.
Note: abstracts for poster presentations can still be submitted to the SedNet Secretariat.
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SedNet library
Recently uploaded documents on SedNet Library:
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Rhine Research Project POR-II
In the port of Rotterdam about one and a half million cubic meters of contaminated sediment is dredged annually. This sediment is stored in a nearby depot. The objective of the Port of Rotterdam is to ensure that all dredged material is sufficiently clean by 2015, that it can be relocated at sea or be beneficially re-used.
In the eighties the Port of Rotterdam started up the Rhine Research Project (POR) to locate the parties responsible for the contamination of the dredged material. Agreements were successfully made with virtually all the major dischargers on significant reductions in their discharges. This represented an important impulse for the quality of the Rhine water and consequently the quality of the dredged material in the port of Rotterdam.
In 2000, Rotterdam initiated the follow-up project POR II. This study showed that diffuse sources still stand in the way of further improving the quality of the dredged material. This concerns e.g. the emission of combustion products of fossil fuels and other emitted substances that enter the Rhine via the atmosphere. But also historical contaminated sediments that are slowly released into the river contribute to the contamination of the Rhine.
The POR-II project resulted in various reports, which can be downloaded from the download section at SedNet website.
- Riverine inputs, sediments, dredged material and the North Sea
- Current and future policies and regulatory framework
- New substances – Substances to watch
- TBT emissions inside the Port of Rotterdam
- Bioassays as a tool for the assessment of the quality of dredged material
- Heavy metals
- PAH’s, PCB’s
- Workshop reports
- Inventory of historical contaminated sediment in Rhine Basin and its tributaries
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Navigating the Water Framework Directive
On 31st January 2007, in Brussels Belgium, PIANC together with its partners in the Navigation Task Group on the Water Framework Directive will host a conference on the EU Water Framework Directive and the issues it raises for ports, navigation and dredging.
The conference will present an update on progress with WFD implementation, covering hydromorphology, priority substances, the setting of ecological targets (good ecological potential), legal aspects including the implications of the Directive for new development proposals, river basin planning, and sediment management.
Invited speakers include representatives from relevant EC Directorates; an EU Water Director; and representatives of the competent authorities responsible for WFD implementation; as well as port and harbor operators and navigation Associations.
As part of the conference, a trio of workshops will provide an opportunity to exchange experiences and explore in greater detail:
- the relationship between the WFD and the EU maritime strategy;
- river basin management planning and sediment management; and
- restoration and mitigation measures for hydromorphological impacts.
Further information can be obtained from the PIANC secretariat.
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From the ESPO newsletter: Review of the Waste Directive
In December 2005 the Commission proposed a Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste and an accompanying review of the Directive on Waste.
Although the Thematic Strategy and proposal for a Directive do not specifically address dredging activities it affects sediment management as relocation or replacement of dredged material is regarded as a substance which the holders discards, thus as waste.
ESPO believes that the waste definition results in a too stringent regime as regards the disposal of dredged material in sea.
Most dredged material consists of non contaminated dredged material: a natural, essential and dynamic part of aquatic systems. Relocation or placement allows sediment to continue its important role within the dynamics of coastal and estuarial morphological systems, thus returning the sediments to where it belongs.
ESPO notices that several Member States are increasingly treating most dredged material as contaminated and thus as waste and in need of special treatment and/or disposal, even though only a minor part of the dredged material is contaminated. With this these Member States are increasingly restricting the use of direct sea relocation of the material being dredged. The result of this excessive caution is that ports are potentially facing huge costs related to disposal and treatment without a clear environmental benefit. It is also possible that such actions will lead to excessive depletion of sediment from the local system inducing changes which may cause longer term environmental harm.
ESPO believes that the Thematic Strategy on Waste and the accompanying Directive could create some possibilities to improve the system and make it more realistic as regards dredged material. Therefore ESPO prepared an initial background document and will closely follow-up the procedures in the European Parliament and the Council.
For the complete ESPO opinion we refer to the Initial Background Document at: www.espo.be/downloads/archive/affbe46d-78e2-412b-a44d-48bad3decb22.doc
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Report on the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) conference on Sediment Dynamics and the Hydromorphology of Fluvial Systems, Dundee, Scotland, July 3-7 2006
This conference represents the latest in a long series of conferences organized by IAHS over the last five decades or so specifically focusing on sediment dynamics in river systems. The theme of the Dundee conference addressed the theme of sediment dynamics and hydromorphology, in part due to the importance of this issue in the European Water Framework Directive. The conference was organized by John Rowan, Rob Duck and Alan Werritty of Dundee University, and was attended by over 90 people representing countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA, and comprised 70 oral presentations and many posters. This highlights the importance of understanding sediment dynamics for sediment management. The proceedings of the conference have been published by IAHS as Publication 306 in the IAHS red-book series and can be found at www.iahs.info. For further details please contact Phil Owens (
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).
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CEDA African Section Dredging Days, 1-3 November 2006, Tangiers, Morocco
The African Section of the Central Dredging Association (CEDA) will organize its second international Dredging Days, in Tangiers, Morocco on the theme "Protection of the Coastline, Dredging and Sustainable Development" from 1 to 3 November 2006.
During the last century, Europe focused dredging works on maintenance issues for ports and navigational fairways. Today, dredging interests extend to all facets of intervention works on the seabed, either for the restructuring or maintenance of facilities, aggregate extraction, submarine structures, beach nourishment and the protection of eroded areas. Smart dredging has become a crucial tool for economic and sustainable development.
In Africa, sustainable development will come to the forefront as trade exchanges increase, bringing about direct impacts on the environment. Indeed the economic growth occurring on the coastline places a strong pressure on it. Aggregate extraction for the construction industry, is one of the main causes of damage to precious ecosystems. In that context the only alternative that is available to decision makers is to reconcile this growth with coastline protection and finding dredging solutions for the production of marine aggregates with a view to protecting the shore lines in ways that are commonly used in Europe and elsewhere.
For further details please visit the CEDA website at: www.dredging.org or the CEDA-AS web site at: www.ceda-africa.com.
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UNESCO International Sediment Initiative developments
The International Sediment Initiative (ISI) has been launched by UNESCO as a major activity of the current 6th phase (2002–2006) of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP). ISI is expected to add a new dimension to ongoing efforts aiming at sustainable sediment management, in the context of sustainable water resources development at global scale.
From June 2005 to May 2006 period, the activities of ISI continued to be focused on its overall objectives, aimed at increased awareness about sediment dynamics and erosion issues in all spheres of water management, aimed at the promotion of sustainable management of soil and sediment resources at local, regional and global scale. Within the scope of ongoing activities, considerable progress has been achieved in the Global Evaluation of Sediment Transport (GEST-project) and in setting up Sediment Information System (an establishment of more than a Database) in the International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES) in Beijing, China.
The ISI information system will accomplish three main purposes and those could each be achieved through three mechanisms: (a) Information access: through the creation of a global information resource portal; (b) Information repository: through the establishment of a sediment database and other information, and (c) Information development: through the implementation of strategic training activities. These three purposes and mechanisms are mutually supportive.
This Global Sediment Information system is currently under construction. It will be ready by early November 2006, just before the first ISI International Conference, 12-15 November 2006, in Khartoum, Sudan (see: www.irtces.org/isi/WebNews_View-en2.asp?WebNewsID=14). It will be linked to UNESCO water portal, and if possible, output of ISI will be contributed to the third edition of the World Water Development Report. ISI could ensure that outcomes of the Information System be useful for stakeholders, by identifying their data needs and approving advice serving system for which data should be collected.
For more information, please visit the recently launched ISI website: www.irtces.org/isi.
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Recent periodicals and publications
New book!
Owens, P.N. and Collins, A.J. (Editors) (2006). Soil Erosion and Sediment Redistribution in River Catchments: Measurement, Modeling and Management. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.
This book has just been published. It includes several chapters by people directly involved with SedNet, and was a spin-off activity of SedNet Work Package 2. For further details, please contact Phil Owens (
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) or see: www.cabi-publishing.org/bookshop/BookDisplay.asp?SubjectArea=&Subject=&PID=1884
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WISE Newsletter
The WISE Newsletter (Issue N°3- June 2006) is now available on: ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/wfd_newsletter.html.
The Commission is also pleased to announce that it has adopted the proposed Directive setting Environmental Quality Standards for Priority Substances and Other Pollutants on 17 July 2006, along with an accompanying Communication. You will find the Directive, Communication and other associated documents at the link below:
ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-dangersub/surface_water.htm
The accompanying document to the Daughter Directive: “IMPACT ASSESSMENT / Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy and amending Directive” clearly mentions sediments and dredging activities.
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Extracted from the SedWeb mailing (the US sister of SedNet)
The US Superfund Basic Research Program recently published a research brief entitled "Mobilization of Arsenic in Sediments." The research highlighted in this publication focuses on the work of scientists at the New York University School of Medicine to examine the fate of arsenic in aquatic environments. www-apps.niehs.nih.gov/sbrp/researchbriefs/view.cfm?Brief_ID=13
The Spring 2006 edition of the "The Bridge," a newsletter published by the National Academy of Engineering, focuses on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One essay focuses on the toxic and contamination concerns raised by the hurricane.
www.nae.edu/NAE/bridgecom.nsf/weblinks/MKEZ-6MYQQP?OpenDocument
The US Office of the Inspector General has published a 44-page evaluation report entitled "EPA Can Better Implement Its Strategy for Managing Contaminated Sediments." To download it, go to: www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2006/20060315-2006-P-00016.pdf
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Upcoming events
2006
6-11 August 2006: 8th Annual Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant on the theme, "Integration of Science, Policy, and Socioeconomics." Madison, Wisconsin.
www.mercury2006.org
20-26 August 2006: World Water Week, Stockholm, Sweden.
www.worldwaterweek.org
29-31 August 2006: Managing Sediments in the Watershed: Bringing Dredged Material and Watershed Managers Together. Sponsored by EPA National Dredging Team and Subcommittee on Integrated Management of Ocean Resources (SIMOR). Doubletree Hotel, Portland, Oregon.
www.sedimentsinwatershed.com
4-7 September 2006: 9th International River Symposium: Managing Climate Change and Expanding Populations, Australia
www.riverfestival.com.au
4-8 September 2006: UNESCO-IHE, Delft, the Netherlands. 3rd Short Course on Remediation and Handling of Contaminated Sediments.
More info
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or
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; or visit www.ihe.nl.
11-13 September 2006: First European Conference on DNAPL Characterization and Remediation. Gottingen, Germany. Sponsored by Redox Technologies, Inc.
www.redoxtech.com
11-13 September 2006: Third European Conference Oxidation and Reduction Technologies for Ex-Situ Treatment of Water, Air & In-Situ Treatment of Soil & Groundwater. Gottingen, Germany. Sponsored by Redox Technologies, Inc.
www.redoxtech.com
12 September 2006: International workshop at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) – Novel insights on contaminated sediments: relevance for risk and remediation”. Registration/information
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– the workshop program can be downloaded from the download section of the SedNet website.
18-20 September 2006: SETAC Asia/Europe Annual Meeting at Peking University in Bejing, China. For information, go to: www.setac.org/htdocs/what_meet_setac.html.
25-28 September 2006: First International Conference on DNAPL Characterization & Remediation. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA. Sponsored by Redox Technologies, Inc.
www.redoxtech.com
25-28 September 2006: Twelfth International Conference on Advanced Oxidation Technologies for Treatment of Water, Air and Soil. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA. Sponsored by Redox Technologies, Inc. www.redoxtech.com
26-28 September 2006: Third International Symposium on Integrated Water Resources Management, Ruhr-University Bochum. Conference theme: "Reducing The Vulnerability of Societies Against Water Related Risks at the Basin Scale." Sponsored by the International Commission for Water Resources Systems. www.conventus.de/water
6-7 October 2006: International Conference on Renewable Energies & Water Technologies (CIERTA 2006). Almeria, Spain.
www.emwis.org/news/display.asp?id=530
10-13 October 2006: 12th Magdeburg seminar on protection of waters (Elbe conference). Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic. The focus this year will be on “science, praxis and administration” and will be aimed especially at problems concerning the International Elbe River Basin (with riparian states Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and Poland) and on related problems of neighbouring areas of the International Danube and Oder River Basins under the requirements of the WFD. The conference, which this year will have a strong focus on sediment, is special in that the participation of scientists and water managers is nearly balanced.
www.mgs.vltava.info
15-20 October 2006: ECSA 41st International Conference - Measuring and Managing Changes in Estuaries and Lagoons. Venice, Italy.
venus.unive.it/ecsa2006
16-19 October 2006: 22nd Annual Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Deadline for abstracts/proposals is February 8.
www.umasssoils.com
1-3 November 2006, Morocco: CEDA African Section: Dredging Days 2006:
Protection of the coastline, dredging sustainable development
Website: www.ceda-africa.com
Contact: phone: 00 212 22 95 91 42/02; E-mail:
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1-3 November 2006: 3rd International Conference on the Water Resources in the Mediterranean Basin. Tripoli, Lebanon. This conference is sponsored by the Lebanese University and Lebanese Committee for Environment and Sustainable Development.
www.emwis.org/news/display.asp?id=580
12-15 November 2006: 1st International Sediment Initiative (ISI) Conference - Sudan
www.irtces.org/isi/WebNews_View-en2.asp?WebNewsID=14
23-24 November 2006: Venice, Italy. SedNet round table meeting on integrating sediment management in WFD River Basin Management Plans / seminar on sediments in the transition area between the river-basin and the marine system. More info from SedNet secretariat:
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28-30 November 2006: 7th International Symposium on Sediment Quality Assessment (SQA7) – Harbor, Estuary, and Lake Assessment and Management. Organized by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management Society. Sponsored by the Centre for Marine Environmental Research and Innovative Technology (MERIT). More info via: Jennifer Lorimer,
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– or visit www.sednet.org for the brochure of the event.
6-7 December 2006: BodemBreed symposium (in Dutch)
One of the themes at this symposium is “How to organize sediment management”. Lunteren, the Netherlands.
www.symposiumbodembreed.nl.
9-13 December 2006: Restore America’s Estuaries 3rd Conference and Expo on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration. New Orleans, USA.
www.estuaries.org
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2007
22-25 January 2007: 4th Annual International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. Savannah, GA. Sponsored and organized by Battelle. The call for abstracts has been made, and submissions are due in June 2006. To request a brochure or get information about being an exhibitor or sponsor, send an e-mail to
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or call 800-783-6338.
www.battelle.org/sedimentscon
31 January 2007: PIANC Conference: Navigating the Water Framework Directive. Brussels.
27 May - 1 June 2007: WODCON XVIII: Global Dredging - Congress and Exhibition
Wyndham Palace Hotel, Disney World, Orlando, Florida, USA.
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/ www.westerndredging.org
8-9 November 2007, CEDA Dredging Days, Conference and Exhibition
Ahoy' Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Call for Papers will be issued in the fall of 2006. Contact:
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7-10 May 2007: 9th International In-Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium, Baltimore, MD, sponsored and organized by Battelle. Abstracts due in summer 2006. To receive the call for abstracts, request other program information, and get information about being an exhibitor or sponsor, send an e-mail to
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or call 800-783-6338.
www.battelle.org/biosymp
13-17 May 2007: Coastal Sediments 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Conference theme: Coastal Engineering and Science in Cascading Spatial and Temporal Scales. Deadline for receipt of abstracts is May 15.
www.asce.org/conferences/cs07
1-4 August 2007: 10th International Symposium on River Sedimentation. Moscow, Russia.
isrs10.hdro-msu.ru/en
Miscellaneous workshops throughout the year on Environmental Forensics, organized by the International Society of Environmental Forensics. See www.environmentalforensics.org for more info.
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Next SedNet Newsletter will be published in October 2006.
SedNet secretariat:
Mrs. Marjan Euser
TNO Built Environment and Geosciences
Laan van Westenenk 501
P.O. Box 342
NL-7300 AH Apeldoorn
The Netherlands
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