International Symposium on Bedload Management 2021

The ambition of this symposium was to review and create knowledge and praxis in bedload management, support the implementation of restoration measures in Switzerland and strengthen the international network among scientists and practitioners. Switzerland has the legal goal and the financial tools to restore its rivers from the impacts of sediment deficits created by hundreds of hydropower plants, retention basins and other installations. This starting situation is challenging in practical and scientific aspects. Gravel augmentation measures are put into practice to improve the ecologic and morphologic state of the rivers. However, the dimensioning and the implementation of these measures depend on the target state and the driving physical and ecological parameters, of which there is yet little understanding. With this symposium, we aimed to support the practical implementation of gravel augmentation measures in Switzerland through the presentation of case studies and the latest tools, techniques, and strategies to improve bedload transport and its ecological functions. Experts in the field, whether they are scientists or practitioners, had the opportunity to learn from experiences of a remarkably active and pioneering restoration setting in Switzerland. The symposium was intended for people working with the issue of bedload restoration and management. Practitioners, consultants, authorities, scientists, NGOs and students were all welcome to participate. The symposium was co-organized by Wasser-Agenda 21 and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment. The program of the symposium consisted of scientific talks, workshops and excursions. The proceedings at hand include the extended reviewed abstracts of all the scientific talks held.