The LIFE Riverease project is a key initiative aimed at supporting European Union member states in implementing the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) and adapting agricultural land to the ongoing impacts of climate change.
The project’s primary goal is to promote and implement nature-based solutions (NBS) that effectively increase water retention, improve nutrient management, and enhance biodiversity. The project will develop innovative IT tools, RIVEREASE OPEN and RIVEREASE REAL TIME, to optimise the implementation of NBS solutions in river basins. We will test these tools in two demonstration basins in Poland and replicate them in four basins in Denmark and Germany.
What challenges are we trying to address?
The LIFE RIVEREASE project focuses on three main threats to agriculture, which are exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change:
Drought
Rising temperatures, more frequent and longer heatwaves, a lack of regular rainfall, and shorter periods of snow cover are leading to increasing problems with agricultural drought. In Europe, agricultural losses due to drought amount to approximately €9 billion annually. In Poland, soil water shortages have been persistent since 2013, and drought affects up to 80-90% of municipalities, with the highest risk in central Poland, where the project’s demonstration catchments are located.
Water Pollution
Heavy rainfall leads to soil erosion and the leaching of pollutants, particularly nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) and pesticides, from agricultural land into surface and groundwater. This results in soil depletion on the one hand and eutrophication and water pollution on the other, negatively impacting agriculture, biodiversity, and human health. In Poland, approximately 91.5% of rivers and almost 100% of coastal waters have poor chemical status, primarily due to agricultural pollution.
Biodiversity Decline
The intensification of agricultural activities, combined with climate change and landscape transformation, results in habitat degradation and biodiversity loss in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. A significant decline in bird and butterfly populations is observed in agricultural areas. In Poland, approximately 58.8% of the country’s land area is used for farming. Moreover, over the past 200 years, 124 plant species have become extinct, and 2,769 animal species are currently endangered.
What distinguishes the LIFE RIVEREASE project?
The project stands out from other similar initiatives by combining technological innovation, river basin management, the use of innovative nature-based solutions, and broad stakeholder engagement in agricultural areas.
Innovative IT tools supporting decisions related to the effective use of NBS based on a catchment approach. This will be complemented by the work of an interdisciplinary team of local stakeholders – the Community Catchment Board, which will operate across administrative boundaries throughout the project.
What are the objectives and planned outcomes of the RIVEREASE project?
The LIFE RIVEREASE project has four key objectives, supported by specific activities and planned outcomes.
Decision-Support Tools
We aim to support decisions that will improve landscape retention, biodiversity, and water status by developing practical IT tools for managing agricultural land in catchments.
We plan to achieve this goal by creating two applications:
- RIVEREASE OPEN is a free, innovative, and intuitive application for preliminary risk analysis (drought, pollution, biodiversity decline) and identifying optimal locations for nature-based solutions (NBS) in agricultural catchments. Its innovation lies in combining local-level analysis with a catchment-wide perspective, allowing for a better understanding of the interactions between various landscape elements.
- RIVEREASE REAL TIME is an advanced tool for professionals that will integrate real-time data from satellite and in-situ monitoring (e.g., soil moisture, nutrient concentrations) with meteorological forecasts, enabling dynamic management of implemented NBS solutions and optimisation of agricultural practices. It stands out for its ability to provide immediate decision-making support under changing weather conditions, a feature not commonly found in existing applications.
Both tools integrate aspects of water retention and pollution control, offering comprehensive environmental management. We plan to deploy them in at least six surface water bodies (SWBs) during the project and in at least 10 more within five years of its completion, including in Poland, Germany, and Denmark.
Demonstration of Nature-Based Solutions in Agricultural Catchments
We will strive to improve landscape retention, reduce pollutant transfer, and enhance biodiversity by implementing and demonstrating Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in demonstration catchments that will support climate change adaptation. The six groups of NBS solutions will include changes to drainage systems, the creation of in-field ponds, the development of shelterbelts and field margins, the implementation of barriers to nitrogen dissemination (denitrification walls, manure pads), the implementation of phosphorus retention and recovery technologies, and non-technical solutions (e.g., the promotion of Nature Restoration Law and Ecoschemes).
As a result, we plan to:
- increase water retention on agricultural land by 1,215 m³ during a single rainfall event (to 3,085 m³ within 5 years of the project),
- increase the area of drought-resistant areas by approximately 33 hectares (to approximately 42 hectares within 5 years),
- recover 1,286 kg of phosphorus during the project,
- ensure a 70% reduction in nitrogen concentration in groundwater,
- create 46 new habitats for flora and fauna (to 146 within 5 years).
River Restoration
We also aim to improve the ecological condition of rivers receiving pollutants from agricultural land. We will achieve this by restoring sections of the Ner and Pisia rivers in Poland (a total of 1,000 m during the project and another 1,000 m within 5 years).
As a result, we plan to:
- improve the morphological condition of restored streams by 30% (up to 60% within 5 years),
- increase riverbed and valley retention by 20% (up to 30% within 5 years),
- extend water flow during periods without rainfall by 20% (up to 30% within 5 years).
Educational and Dissemination Activities
Finally, we plan to replicate the solutions developed and build stakeholder competence in adapting agricultural land to climate change. We plan to:
- establish an educational demonstration park in the Ner River basin,
- organise 12 educational activities for local communities in the municipalities covered by the project (reaching a total of 660 people),
- organise seven training sessions for a wider audience (minimum 930 people),
- develop a variety of educational materials in Polish and English,
- reach 20,000 people with information about the project during its duration and another 10,000 within 5 years after its completion.
Meet the partner institutions involved in the LIFE RIVEREASE Project
The consortium consists of nine entities from Poland, Germany, and Denmark, representing the public (municipalities), private (consulting and technology firms), non-governmental, and research sectors:
- Poddębice Commune – the project leader, responsible for overall coordination, financial management, and reporting. It will be specifically responsible for creating the LIFE RIVEREASE online platform and implementing an educational demonstration park within its area.
- Wartkowice Commune – a project partner, actively engaging local communities and institutions in all activities, primarily involved in dialogue with stakeholders at the local level and developing a supra-local strategy for the Ner River basin.
- Zadzim Commune – project partner, actively engaging local communities and institutions in all activities, primarily involved in dialogue with stakeholders at the local level and developing a supra-local strategy for the Ner River basin.
- The University of Lodz – a project partner that contributes expert scientific knowledge in ecohydrology and environmental protection, which is crucial for analysing water quality, ecohydrological parameters, and monitoring efficiency. It is responsible for developing innovative technologies for phosphorus retention and recovery, as well as for reducing nitrogen. It will coordinate the development of catchment management plans and the After-LIFE Plan report.
- FPP Enviro – a project partner contributing expertise in implementing blue-green infrastructure solutions. It will coordinate the development, programming, testing, and verification of the RIVEREASE OPEN and RIVEREASE REAL TIME applications. It is also responsible for preparing project documentation and implementing NBS solutions, as well as developing a commercialisation strategy for the RIVEREASE REAL TIME applications and the Layman’s report.
- Ingenieurgesellschaft Prof. Dr Sieker mbH (IPS – Germany) – a project partner providing advanced knowledge and solutions in water resource management, including hydrological modelling. Will be involved in developing the input database for the RIVEREASE REAL TIME application and will support the integration of hydrological models.
- Amphi International APS (Denmark) – a project partner who brings expertise in environmental protection and biodiversity, particularly in the creation and restoration of freshwater habitats (in-field ponds).
- KLAR Forsyning (Denmark) – a project partner with experience in climate change adaptation, stormwater management, and flood management planning. Supports the development of innovative phosphorus recovery technologies, including the SCL system.
- The Sendzimir Foundation – a project partner from the non-governmental sector, who will be responsible for coordinating the project’s communication and promotional activities, including engaging local communities and creating educational materials. The Foundation leverages its extensive experience in delivering engaging and practical education on biodiversity protection and climate change adaptation through the use of NBS.
Thanks to the competencies and experience of all partners, the LIFE Riverease project has the potential to develop scalable and effective solutions for agriculture and water management that will have a lasting positive impact on the natural environment in Europe.
Contact
Project coordinator Grzegorz Plewiński: g.plewinski@poddebice.pl
Sendzimir Foundation contact: magdalena.niezabitowska-krogulec@sendzimir.org.pl
The LIFE Riverease project is co-financed by the LIFE Programme – the EU fund for the environment, climate and energy, which supports the most ambitious and innovative environmental initiatives in Europe.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, CINEA or National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. Neither the European Union nor the granting authorities can be held responsible for them.
Picture at the top: Michal Jarmoluk (Pixabay)
