Conceptual and strategic frameworks for sediment management at the river basin scale

Abstract

This chapter describes sediment management, the process of sediment management, sediment management at the river basin scale, risk management in river basins, frameworks for sediment management in Europe, and an example of a basin-wide sediment management strategy—the Norfolk Broads, England. Sediment management is about balancing risks and goals. This needs to happen in the context of the broader basin objectives and the understanding of basin functioning (the conceptual basin model). Sediment management is just one part of an overall basin management strategy. Sediment issues cut across many of the policy areas at European, national, and basin level. Because of this, sediment needs to be considered as a part of many policy arenas. Ideally, site prioritization should be used to derive a ranked list of sediment problems within a basin. Site-specific sediment problems must be viewed within the basin context and as part of a multivariate basin management policy. Sediment management frameworks help to understand the interactions, inter-sections, and information exchanges necessary to manage sediment sustainably into the future.