The Reservoir | Drops of Knowledge

What role can smart irrigation play in today’s agricultural sector?

Improve your farm’s water operations through strategic decision-making

Today, discussions about climate change, drought and flash flooding as well as how these phenomena affect agriculture and water rights dominate public discourse. Simultaneously, regulatory agencies worldwide are starting to require sustainable farming practices while economic competition is omnipresent. Intrasectoral competition is taking place on a global scale while water resources are becoming scarcer in specific regions, yet more variable and extreme in others. It is therefore important for agricultural practice to become more resource-efficient. Physical, technical, digital and financial factors accompany this enormous task – one that will ultimately define the stability of the water-energy-food nexus for both today’s society and future generations.

Three ways to advance urban water management

The world has many water-related issues, but how should you manage them?

From water scarcity and climate extremes to resource fragmentation, there are more water-related issues to manage than ever before. For those who manage urban water systems, like city planners and utility managers, it’s difficult to decide which challenges to tackle first to provide the most benefits.

To add, the world’s water-related needs are ever-evolving, and hydrological systems are not static. This means adapting water management styles and adopting new methods. But where do we start?

Can satellites help close the data gap in flood monitoring?

With growing populations, rising sea levels and raging storms, more and more people are finding themselves susceptible to severe flood events. Floods are detrimental to people, assets, infrastructure and the economy, and the effects are being felt worldwide. A United Nations report estimates that the number of people vulnerable to flood disaster could soar to 2 billion by 2050. As the frequency of these events increase, floods will no longer be ‘once in a lifetime’ incidents, but could instead become regular occurrences for many communities.

The best tips for optimising berth utilisation in ports and terminals

With the continuing surge in commercial vessel sizes, the world’s port authorities are under pressure to adopt effective expansion strategies to meet growing capacity demands. One of the key challenges is to ensure that robust strategic plans and operational measures are in place to guarantee safe and efficient traffic – not only through shipping channels, but also at port berthing facilities. Continue reading “The best tips for optimising berth utilisation in ports and terminals”

Here’s the answer to eco-friendly dredging

Millions of cubic metre seabed material is dredged and pushed around every year for various purposes. Disturbing the seabed constitutes a source of pollution and while dredging supports fundamental needs of societies, tough legislation is in place to protect the marine environment and keep pollution in check. Environmental protection agencies around the world are constantly raising the bar, which puts innovation at the heart of the dredging industry to drive new green technologies.

So how can one ensure that dredging activities are carried out in an environmentally friendly way? The answer: by using modelling software!

Dr. Jacob Hjelmager Jensen, Head of Projects at DHI, answers our questions about the role of computer models in dredging today and shares his insight on how models will drive innovation going forward in this digital age. Continue reading “Here’s the answer to eco-friendly dredging”

Predicting natural disasters: how risk information protects lives and investments

No thanks to climate change, extreme weather events are getting more frequent, intense and unpredictable. A publication by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) highlights that in the past 20 years, weather-related disasters made up approximately 90% of major recorded disaster events. Although loss of human lives may be decreasing, economic impact – especially that of informal economies and uninsured losses – are on the rise.

However, having access to risk information can help stakeholders make better decisions to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on their communities and economy. Learn more. Continue reading “Predicting natural disasters: how risk information protects lives and investments”

Mitigating the effects of urbanisation on freshwater quality

Urban waterways are water bodies in an urban environment – either naturally occurring or deliberately designed and constructed as part of a drainage system. By channelling stormwater rapidly to a common outlet such as rivers, lakes, or bays, urban waterways play an important role in reducing flooding in the cities. Continue reading “Mitigating the effects of urbanisation on freshwater quality”

Why web-based solutions are key for grasping the challenge of coastal flooding

With frequently changing climatic conditions, decision makers are facing the challenge of protecting human lives and precious assets against flooding from rivers, the sea and storm surges in urban areas along coasts.

Fortunately, web-based services and solutions can support decision makers in their response to the comprehensive challenge posed by coastal flooding. Continue reading “Why web-based solutions are key for grasping the challenge of coastal flooding”

An insider’s perspective on tackling coastal erosion

Coastal erosion is the wearing away of land, rocks or sand along the coastline. In addition to natural forces from the sea such as storm surges and sea level rise due to climate change, many human activities like harbour construction, maintenance dredging and more, all contribute to the erosion process.

We ask Kasper Kaegaard, our Senior Coastal Expert, five questions on coastal erosion to find out how we can protect our shorelines from this ongoing challenge. Continue reading “An insider’s perspective on tackling coastal erosion”

Shaping the future of our cities with sustainable urban drainage systems

In this new age of ‘green urbanism’, innovative urban planning often includes thoughtful green solutions that bring benefit both to the community and environment.

While it is true that urban planning is more than good physical design, one can’t deny the fact that sustainable design considerations – right from the early planning phase – would lead to successful final design and construction that can significantly influence our quality of life in the cities.
Continue reading “Shaping the future of our cities with sustainable urban drainage systems”