Assessing the functional performance of the Meuse river

Abstract

The Meuse river facilitates important socio-economic functions. In the light of Integrated River Management (IRM), the question rises whether these functions can be facilitated in future decades (until 2050) as well. The riverbed is expected to degrade over the coming decades, just like in the past century. On top of that, the discharge regime will alter because of climate change. This research studies the impact of bed degradation and altering discharge regimes on the river functioning regarding navigation and flood safety. This is done by linking hydraulic river conditions to functional performance indicators.