The Elbe River Watershed by Callie Jenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md en-us 2020-12-06 03:26:33 UTC 2023-06-15 14:27:35 UTC hello@padlet.com Physical location calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/990847308 The Elbe River is 724 miles long, with a total drainage area of 55,620 square miles (Friedrich & Grimm, 1999). The river “rises on the southern side of the Krkonose Mountains near the border of the Czech Republic and Poland” (Friedrich & Grimm, 1999), continuing counter-clockwise through the northern part of the Czech Republic, where a majority of its flow is through the northwestern portion of Germany. The mouth of the river is located at the North Sea.

Friedrich, H., & Grimm, F. (1999). Elbe River. https://www.britannica.com/place/Elbe-River.

]]> 2020-12-06 03:30:19 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/990847308 Protection & Management of the River calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/990851523 The International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River (ICPER) was a commission signed in 1990 in order to protect the river. It is overlooked by Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Austria, with Germany and the Czech Republic being the contracted parties. The 149-paged PDF document, International Management Plan for the Elbe River Basin District, details a plan period to preserve the river from 2016-2021. Its current focuses are “improving the surface water structure and passability” and “reduction of significant nutrient and pollutant loads” (“International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River”).

International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River. IKSE. https://www.ikse-mkol.org/en/eu-directives/water-framework-directive/international-management-plan-for-the-elbe-river-basin-district/. 

]]> 2020-12-06 03:37:01 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/990851523 Precipitation calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996464061 The average precipitation levels of the Elbe River basin range from 450 mm to 1700 mm. The average annual precipitation rate is 628 mm. Lower precipitation records are found in low mountain/rain shadow areas, while precipitation levels in the 1000 mm range are found at higher elevations.

International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River.  https://www.ikse-mkol.org/en/themen/die-elbe/. ]]> 2020-12-08 00:24:45 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996464061 Just for Fun! calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996479699 If you ever want to take a cruise along the Elbe, and explore all of the beautiful cities! :)

Viking River Cruises. (2020, June 18). Cities Along the Elbe: Videos. Viking Cruises. https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/video/itineraries/play.html?id=158607. ]]> 2020-12-08 00:32:40 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996479699 Water Quality (cont.) calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996482301 In the Elbe watershed, oil spills and pollution from cruise ships and cargo vessels negatively impact the water quality, causing an imbalance in the Elbe River’s water cycle.
The Elbe River used to be one of the most polluted rivers in Europe. Over the last 40 years, the ICPER has monitored the quality of the water. Now, the water is more oxygenated and the fish population has increased considerably. The ICPER has worked hard to restore the river!

But, accidents still happen. Below is a link for one of the worst oil spills in the history of Hamburg. This spill occurred in the Elbe River in 2011.

The Maritime Executive. (2011, January 11). Collision on Elbe River in Germany Causes Spill. The Maritime Executive. https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/2008-07-17-collision-on-elbe-river-in-germany-causes-spill. ]]> 2020-12-08 00:33:58 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996482301 Social Parameters calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996513720 Being the 4th largest river basin in Central Europe, the Elbe River's catchment area is almost 25 million people. A majority of the people, about 18.5 million, live in Germany. About 735 million cubic meters of drinking water is drawn from the river each year.

More recently, the Elbe seems to be facing alarmingly dangerous water levels. Below is a video link describing how weather changes and an increase in droughts is negatively impacting the river.

German Environment Agency. Elbe. https://www.umweltprobenbank.de/en/documents/profiles/sampling_areas/10042.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc. (2019, November 11). Study the alarming cause of water shortages in Germany. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/video/179513/droughts-floods-groundwater-shortages-water-supply-Germany. ]]> 2020-12-08 00:49:35 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996513720 Land Use calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996555715 There are all kinds of land usages along the Elbe River. The usage consists of artificial surfaces, forests and semi natural areas, and agricultural areas. Artificial surfaces include urban fabric, industrial, commercial and transport units, mine, dump and construction sites, non-agricultural vegetated areas, wetlands, and water bodies. Semi natural areas include forests, scrub vegetation, and open spaces with little/no vegetation. Agricultural areas consist of arable land, permanent crops and pastures. Finally, there are inland and maritime wetlands, and inland and marine waters (“Land Use in the German Elbe Basin”, 2017).

(Click to expand land use map!)

Land Use in the German Elbe Basin. European Environment Agency. (2017). https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/land-use-in-the-german. 

]]> 2020-12-08 01:10:12 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/996555715 Climate Change calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000482452 "Climate-induced changes in river discharge and air temperature have an effect on the oxygen content of the Elbe Estuary for the near and far future.
Prevention of negative climate-induced effects can be achieved by decreasing the phytoplankton biomass in the Elbe catchment. Sustainable restoration including reduction of nutrient emissions is a convenient measure. Furthermore, more shallow areas in the Elbe Estuary may mitigate the critical oxygen situation."

Hein, B., Viergutz, C., Wyrwa, J., Kirchesch, V., & Schol, A. (2016, July 25). Impacts of climate change on the water quality of the Elbe Estuary (Germany). Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23249676.2016.1209438. 
]]> 2020-12-09 00:16:51 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000482452 Protection & Management of the River (cont.) calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000495292 The Elbe Floodplain UNESCO Biosphere Reserve runs along 400km of the Elbe, protecting “flooded grasslands, sand dunes… coniferous and mixed forests and lowland marshlands” (MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory).
"Currently, projects focus on the restoration of backwater lakes, beaver and willow management, floodplain forest development, environmental education and the promotion of tourism in the Elbe River region."


MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory. (2007). http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=GER+01. ]]> 2020-12-09 00:23:22 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000495292 Migration calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000507314 "Streams of refugees in the aftermath of WWII drastically altered the population structure. The largest groups of migrants originate from Asia, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine."

According to "Refuge, Rethinking Refugee Policy in a Changing World", "people seeking refugee are not fleeing poverty, they are fleeing danger" (p. 16). Germany was one of the countries that acted as a safe haven for refugees, due to being such a high-income country.

Today, about 270,000 people live in the reserve!

Flusslandschaft Elbe Biosphere Reserve, Germany. UNESCO. (2018, October). https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/eu-na/flusslandschaft-elbe.

Betts, A., & Collier, P. (2017). Refuge: rethinking refugee policy in a changing world. Oxford University Press.]]> 2020-12-09 00:29:28 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000507314 Reunification of Germany- impact on the Elbe calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000535036 As a country, Germany reunified in 1990. This reunification “triggered dramatic changes in the flows of nutrients through the Elbe River Basin” (Hussian & Grimvall, 2003, p. 15).
Through their study,  Hussian & Grimvall (2003) indicated they observed downward trends in both phosphorus and nitrogen levels. A decrease in phosphorus was “found to be considerably smaller close to the mouth of the river” (p. 15), which means a smaller abundance of nutrients have been collected as the river flows down the Krkonose Mountains, through the mainland, and down to the North Sea. 

Due to changes in agricultural practices, less nitrogen was being added to topsoil, and there was a decrease in the amount of nitrogen removed through harvesting.

Below is a graph of estimated river-transported nitrogen loads from 1960-2000, and a table showing changes in both phosphorus and nitrogen emissions from 1983-1997 (Hussian & Grimvall, 2003).

Hussian, M., Grimvall, A., & Petersen, W. (2003). Estimation of the Human Impact on Nutrient Loads Carried by the Elbe River. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 96(1-3), 15–33. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:emas.0000031722.88972.62.]]> 2020-12-09 00:42:51 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000535036 Water Quality calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000567867 "The Elbe was once considered to harbour one of the highest diversity and numbers of fish in European Rivers. Pollution of the river in the 1970s and 1980s, together with the construction of a weir, led to a collapse of the ecosystem and extinction of many species. Subsequent improvement of water quality and construction of a fish pass have led to a recovery in fish abundance and species. Improvement of water quality has affected the biogeochemical cycling of organic carbon in the tidal freshwater zone, which has become as important as the turbidity zone as a filter for organic carbon."

Web Design RUBIK Multimedia. (2017). Elbe Estuary Supersite, Germany. DANUBIUSPP. https://danubius-pp.eu/about/project-structure/wp5-architecture/supersites/elbe-estuary-supersite/. ]]> 2020-12-09 00:58:06 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000567867 Solutions calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000602107 Due to the high volume of vessel transportation, the faulting of dams, and the changing quality of water in the river, I would recommend more soft path solutions to be implemented. Instead of building and using more infrastructure, I believe the Elbe must be restored. The first step is to educate the people surrounding the Elbe and get them involved. If they want to continue living safe and healthy lives, they have to protect this critical watershed they live in! 

As stated in previous slides, the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is a current solution that seems to be working well. The Reserve protects floodplains, forests, manages beavers and willows, and enforces environmental education. New projects are constantly being established, which gives hope for the entire ecosystem- water quality/quantity, plant life, animal life, and human life.]]> 2020-12-09 01:14:51 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000602107 Dams calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000606393 There are dams located in the Czech Republic, Geesthacht, Germany, and on the Saale tributary in the Thuringian Forest, but the dams “are not sufficient to control the water level of the Elbe” (Friedrich & Grimm, 1999).
In 2013, thousands of people in Germany had to evacuate their homes due to a dam breaking. People lost their homes, their farm animals, and some people even lost their own lives. This causes a huge imbalance not only in human lives, but the entire water cycle of the river and the stability of the ecosystem as a whole.

Friedrich, H., & Grimm, F. (1999). Elbe River. https://www.britannica.com/place/Elbe-River.

Below is a news link describing the tragic event.]]> 2020-12-09 01:16:48 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000606393 Transportation calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000630468 The Elbe historically served as a waterway for trade, and still today serves as a major channel for vessels; it is “one of the largest seaports in Europe” (Friedrich & Grimm, 1999).

Friedrich, H., & Grimm, F. (1999). Elbe River. https://www.britannica.com/place/Elbe-River.]]> 2020-12-09 01:28:28 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000630468 Energy Consumption calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000670594 According to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), renewable energy has accounted for half of Germany's total electricity generation this year.  A quarter of this energy was wind energy! Two of the world's largest wind turbines are located in Hamburg, just south of the Elbe River.

Below is a pie chart of Germany's total energy consumption (2020).

Fraunhofer ISE. R&D for Energy Transition - Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE - Fraunhofer ISE. (2020).  https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en.html. ]]> 2020-12-09 01:48:30 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1000670594 Species calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1018284403 Many different types of plant species, aquatic species, and mammals live along the river including:

  • Over 1,300 plant species
    • "Of these, approximately 400 species are listed in the IUCN Red List of endangered ferns and flowering plants"
  • 700 species of butterflies/moths
  • 151 bird species
  • 12 of the 19 amphibian species native to Germany
  • Beavers
  • Sheep

Flusslandschaft Elbe Biosphere Reserve, Germany. UNESCO. (2018, October). https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/eu-na/flusslandschaft-elbe. 


]]> 2020-12-14 23:54:07 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1018284403 References (1/2) calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1018305740
Betts, A., & Collier, P. (2017). Refuge: rethinking refugee policy in a changing world. Oxford University Press.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc. (2019, November 11). Study the alarming cause of water shortages in Germany. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/video/179513/droughts-floods-groundwater-shortages-water-supply-Germany.

Flusslandschaft Elbe Biosphere Reserve, Germany. UNESCO. (2018, October). https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/eu-na/flusslandschaft-elbe.

Fraunhofer ISE. R&D for Energy Transition - Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE - Fraunhofer ISE. (2020).  https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en.html.

Friedrich, H., & Grimm, F. (1999). Elbe River. https://www.britannica.com/place/Elbe-River.

German Environment Agency. Elbe. https://www.umweltprobenbank.de/en/documents/profiles/sampling_areas/10042.

Hein, B., Viergutz, C., Wyrwa, J., Kirchesch, V., & Schol, A. (2016, July 25). Impacts of climate change on the water quality of the Elbe Estuary (Germany). Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23249676.2016.1209438. ]]> 2020-12-15 00:06:52 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1018305740 References (2/2) calliejenckes https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1018326447 Hussian, M., Grimvall, A., & Petersen, W. (2003). Estimation of the Human Impact on Nutrient Loads Carried by the Elbe River. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 96(1-3), 15–33. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:emas.0000031722.88972.62.

International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River. IKSE. https://www.ikse-mkol.org/en/eu-directives/water-framework-directive/international-management-plan-for-the-elbe-river-basin-district/.

Land Use in the German Elbe Basin. European Environment Agency. (2017). https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/land-use-in-the-german.

MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory. (2007). http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=GER+01.

The Maritime Executive. (2011, January 11). Collision on Elbe River in Germany Causes Spill. The Maritime Executive. https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/2008-07-17-collision-on-elbe-river-in-germany-causes-spill.

Viking River Cruises. (2020, June 18). Cities Along the Elbe: Videos. Viking Cruises. https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/video/itineraries/play.html?id=158607.

Web Design RUBIK Multimedia. (2017). Elbe Estuary Supersite, Germany. DANUBIUSPP. https://danubius-pp.eu/about/project-structure/wp5-architecture/supersites/elbe-estuary-supersite/. ]]> 2020-12-15 00:18:16 UTC https://padlet.com/calliejenckes/tx8l67bix0vnu2md/wish/1018326447