WISDOM II

The second phase of WISDOM extends the works of the first phase towards large scale sediment dynamics. Within the first phase essential works on the hydrology of the whole Mekong basin, on the hydraulics of the whole Mekong Delta and on small scale sediment dynamics were performed. Considering the fundamental importance of the sediments for the ecosystem and agricultural production in the Delta, phase two will put a strong focus on the sediment dynamics. The works cover again the whole Mekong basin where the suspended sediments origin, as well as the whole delta. The production of suspended sediments in the basin will be analysed by statistical time series anaylsis as well as by hydrological modeling considering climate change impacts. The sediment dynamics in the delta will be simulated spatially explicit by a hydrodynamic model including the floodplains. The simulations will be accompanied by field works aiming at the quantification of the annual sedimentation budgets in the floodplains.
Another aspect covers the development of region specific flood damage models, which are currently not available. However, these models are prerequisite for risk based flood management and planning. Within WISDOM 2 region specific damage models will be developed for private housing and agriculture specifically for the Can Tho region and the Mekong Delta.
WISDOM 2 will also do base research in the field of GPS reflectometry. Here the possibilities of using the technique at low observation angles, which are typically for lowland river systems, for determining water levels will be explored. The utilization of this method would provide a non-invasive monitoring tool useful for large lowland rivers and lakes.