216
B. Nilkens et al.
status" of all waters within a given timetable. The two approaches have widely
identical objectives, but in some points the focus is set differently.
For the situation of the catchment area of the River Spree, aspects of both water
quality and water quantity have to be considered. The hydrologic situation of all
water compartments changed greatly throughout the past century. Until 1990, the
Lusatian lignite-mining district was the main quarrying site in the former German
Democratic Republic (GDR). Thus, artificial lowering of the groundwater level affected an area of more than 2000 km 2 • After the German reunification, most of the
surface mining was closed down because of economical aspects. The suddenness
of the changes poses a complex spread of water - quantity and water - quality
problems of dimensions until then unknown.
Already in 1994, the working group of the federal states of Germany for water
regime planning passed the Framework for the recreation of a balanced water regime in the river catchment areas in the Lusatian district and in Central Germany,
impaired by the lignite mining activities. In this document the aims and ranking of
research themes are determined. In the Spree project the emphasis is put on the
need to consider water quantity and water quality issues as a prerequisite for holistic and effective water management. The Model of the River Spree aims to comprise both the water quantity approach of the IWRM and the quality approach of
the WFD.
In the joint task project Spree, which is financed by the Federal Ministry of
Education and Research and the federal states of Saxony and Brandenburg, a
group of scientists is developing a water - management tool which will serve as a
decision support system (DSS) and prognosis aid. The project is an example of a
research project where politicians, scientists and industry work closely and successfully together. A DSS is defined as a computer-based advisory system for
management that uses databases, models and communication/user dialogue facilities to provide decision - makers with management information. Therefore, the
aim is to create a management tool which provides decision - makers with information about a possible development of water quality and water quantity under
given scenarios. Within 3 years, the development of the model for the catchment
area of the River Spree has to be completed. Early in 2003 the results of the joint
task will be presented on a project symposium.
2 Background
Although the River Spree is not a large river, it is an important one, because it has
to meet two major tasks. On the one hand, it serves as the main supply of drinking
water for the capital, Berlin; rural and industrial sites also use the water for their
production lines. On the other hand, the unique biosphere reservation Spree forest
depends on a minimum water level in the River Spree. In Fig. 1 the catchment
area of the River Spree is shown. The Spree has its spring in the south region of
Bautzen and flows into the River Havel in Berlin.
B. Nilkens et al.
status" of all waters within a given timetable. The two approaches have widely
identical objectives, but in some points the focus is set differently.
For the situation of the catchment area of the River Spree, aspects of both water
quality and water quantity have to be considered. The hydrologic situation of all
water compartments changed greatly throughout the past century. Until 1990, the
Lusatian lignite-mining district was the main quarrying site in the former German
Democratic Republic (GDR). Thus, artificial lowering of the groundwater level affected an area of more than 2000 km 2 • After the German reunification, most of the
surface mining was closed down because of economical aspects. The suddenness
of the changes poses a complex spread of water - quantity and water - quality
problems of dimensions until then unknown.
Already in 1994, the working group of the federal states of Germany for water
regime planning passed the Framework for the recreation of a balanced water regime in the river catchment areas in the Lusatian district and in Central Germany,
impaired by the lignite mining activities. In this document the aims and ranking of
research themes are determined. In the Spree project the emphasis is put on the
need to consider water quantity and water quality issues as a prerequisite for holistic and effective water management. The Model of the River Spree aims to comprise both the water quantity approach of the IWRM and the quality approach of
the WFD.
In the joint task project Spree, which is financed by the Federal Ministry of
Education and Research and the federal states of Saxony and Brandenburg, a
group of scientists is developing a water - management tool which will serve as a
decision support system (DSS) and prognosis aid. The project is an example of a
research project where politicians, scientists and industry work closely and successfully together. A DSS is defined as a computer-based advisory system for
management that uses databases, models and communication/user dialogue facilities to provide decision - makers with management information. Therefore, the
aim is to create a management tool which provides decision - makers with information about a possible development of water quality and water quantity under
given scenarios. Within 3 years, the development of the model for the catchment
area of the River Spree has to be completed. Early in 2003 the results of the joint
task will be presented on a project symposium.
2 Background
Although the River Spree is not a large river, it is an important one, because it has
to meet two major tasks. On the one hand, it serves as the main supply of drinking
water for the capital, Berlin; rural and industrial sites also use the water for their
production lines. On the other hand, the unique biosphere reservation Spree forest
depends on a minimum water level in the River Spree. In Fig. 1 the catchment
area of the River Spree is shown. The Spree has its spring in the south region of
Bautzen and flows into the River Havel in Berlin.