Current themes in Dutch river research
NCR Days 2002 Book of Abstracts
The Netherlands Centre for River Studies (NCR) aims to provide an open platform for all people interested in scientific research and communication on river issues. To that end NCR organises once a year the so-called NCR-days, where on two consecutive days scientists present their ongoing river studies, in order to maximise the exchange of ideas and experiences between the participants and to provide the researchers a sounding board for their study approach and preliminary results. Based on these contacts they can improve their approach and possibly establish additional co-operation.
The NCR-days 2000 and 2001 were held in Soesterberg (Kontakt der Kontinenten) and Wageningen (De Wageningse Berg), respectively. The proceedings of these conferences were published in the NCR publication series (NCR publication 03-2001 and 07-2001). The NCR-days 2002 were organised by the University of Nijmegen and Conference Agency Routine on November 7th and 8th, 2002 in Conference Centre Jonkerbosch (Nijmegen). Until the mid nineties the buildings of the Conference Centre Jonkerbosch accommodated a boarding school for children of bargemen. All lecture rooms were named after large European rivers and waterways or cabins of river barges. The corridors, landings and stairways were furnished and decorated with all kind of attributes from barges. In this ‘riverine’ atmosphere some 125 participants witnessed in total 60 oral and poster presentations on current themes in river research. In order to meet the results of evaluations of preceding NCR-days, the organising committee included keynotes of river managers and also programmed presentations of institutes that were not yet involved in the research programme of NCR. Lively discussions took place, not only following each plenary presentation, but also during the poster sessions, the intermissions and the field trip to Gelderse Poort. The Hyde Park Corner approach for plenary poster presentations, introduced at the 2001 NCR-days, was again very successful and highly appreciated. The ‘two-minutetalks’ about posters guided us through the essence of river research: i.e., scientific and societal relevance! The present book contains the papers of oral and poster presentations. 110 river scientists in total contributed to these proceedings of the NCR-days of 2002, yielding a rather impressive overview of Dutch river research.
We would like to thank G.W. Geerling, B.T. Nolte, R.J.W. de Nooij and S. Wijnhoven of the University of Nijmegen, and M. Koenen and T. Verheij-van der Linden of the Conference Agency Routine for their help in organising the NCR-days 2002. Gerard van der Velde, Lex Kempers, Gerard Bögemann ‘connected’ the Rhine with the Mississippi. With their Piggly Wiggly Washboard Stompers band they performed ‘original’ river blues and jazz during the evening programme and clearly demonstrated multidisciplinary expertise of river scientists at University of Nijmegen. B.G. de Bruijn of the water board ‘Waterschap Rivierenland’ and B. Peters of the consultancy firm ‘Bureau Drift’ contributed to the field trip and elucidated societal and ecological benefits of sustainable flood defence measures. Special thanks are due to E.C.L. Marteijn, former President of the NCR scientific Programme Committee. He excellently chaired these NCR-days. Last, but not least, we also wish to thank all authors for their presentations and contributions to the proceedings.
We are looking back at a very inspiring conference, an elucidating field trip and fruitful discussions.
The UNESCO – IHE Institute for Water Education will organise the coming NCR-days from 6th – 8th November 2003 in Marina Ooldehuuske Resort, Roermond (see http://www.ncr-web.org/). We are looking forward to meet you all again there.
R.S.E.W. Leuven, A.G. van Os & P.H. Nienhuis
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Authors
R.S.E.W. Leuven, A.G. van Os, P.H. Nienhuis
ID
20-2003
Publication Date
01/10/2003