Consequences of heavy rainfall and dry periods (RiQO)

Risk assessment of the impact of extreme events on the water quality of surface waters

Dreisam near Freiburg

In order to counteract future negative impacts of extreme weather events on the water quality of stream waters, practical prevention and management concepts are needed. For this purpose, the RiQO project investigates water quality changes caused by heavy rainfall events and dry periods at local and regional level in Baden-Württemberg and carries out catchment-specific risk assessments.

In order to gain new insights into the impact of extreme events on surface water quality, the RiQO research project applies a combined approach of monitoring anthropogenic trace substances, geographic information processing, statistical methods and machine learning for pattern recognition. Non-target screening and additional target analysis of selected groups of substances are used to investigate event- and catchment-specific patterns of water quality changes. The advantage of non-target screening is that it can be used to search for and identify unknown substances. In addition, a qualitative comparison between water samples is possible, as the totality of measurable known and unknown substances is taken into account. A semi-quantitative approach is also developed to obtain concentration ranges of certain parameters.

The results of the water quality investigations will be used to validate pattern recognition based on geographic information processing and machine learning (e.g. decision tree and random forest methods) for the distribution of contaminant groups. This will allow for event- and catchment-specific risk assessment and evaluation of water quality changes due to extreme events at different spatial scales. The results are highly relevant for the management of surface waters, especially with regard to drinking water quality, since water quality impairments also mean increased efforts for water treatment and monitoring.

Award for the RIQO research project

On 16 May 2024, the RiQO research project received the Undine Award 2024 of the Josef Wund Foundation in Kressbronn on Lake Constance in the category 'Source of Life'. The Josef Wund Foundation presents the Undine Award since 2022 under the motto ‘Water for People’ in the three categories ‘Source of Life’, ‘Living Space’ and ‘Joy of Life’ to institutions, projects or companies. It honors innovative projects with potential for the ‘next level’. This can be the path from the idea to the pilot phase, from the development stage to realization or from successful implementation to the extension stage.

Further information and the award ceremony can be found here:

Link Press release Josef Wund Foundation (in German)

Link Video research project ‘RiQO’ (in German)

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