GeoERA RESOURCE WP3 Progress note 04/12/2019

During the RESOURCE Project Assembly from 19-21 November 2019 held at the Croatian Geological Survey in Zagreb, the state of affairs and progress in Work Package 3 was presented. This cross-border Work Package – “H3O-PLUS” – builds on 3D geometries developed in previous H3O-projects and aims at developing harmonized hydrogeological information for the Roer Valley Graben in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium (see figure below).

Task 3.1 After having successfully submitted the deliverable for Task 3.1 last summer, a report describing the harmonization strategy, the work for the other Tasks is continuing.

Task 3.2 targets the hydraulic parameterization of the various aquifers and aquitards, and is completed for a major hydrogeological unit, the so-called Kieseloolite Formation (see figure above). The information for other units can now be added and the database is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Analysis of the data is foreseen to be conducted during the first half of 2020.

Task 3.3 – groundwater quality and age tracer data is currently being collected for the three countries and checked for consistency. These data will soon be imported into the Groundwater Tool, from which a GeoERA version will be released during the first half of 2020.

Task 3.4 – is in a preparation phase, as we are currently selecting the existing groundwater model simulations which will be used to determine groundwater balances, volumes and fluxes across borders, faults and hydrogeological units.

Task 3.5 has passed the startup phase, as groundwater head time series and precipitation-evapotranspiration data are being collected to analyse cross-border patterns of groundwater depletion (or other trends). The time-series analysis is expected to be completed by mid-2020.

Task 3.6 developing common cross-border protection and management strategies will be initiated medio 2020.