Special sessions:

A. Advanced Modeling on Shear Shallow Flows

      Organizers: Yih-Chin Tai, Boniface Nkonga, Keh-Ming Shyue

       Shallow flows models provide a far more practical, from the computational standpoint, engineering alternative to the full Euler or Naviers-Stokes equations. The aim of this mini-symposium is to discuss topics in theoretical modeling, numerical studies, or experimental investigations of shear shallow flows, where the velocity is non-uniformly distributed along the flow thickness or the pressure distribution is no more hydrostatic. These shear shallow flows can be found in many hydraulic problems and various geo-related-hazardous flows. Examples of hydraulic problem are, e.g., roll waves, oscillations of the hydraulic jump toe, sand waves in water-sediment flows, as well as the undulation of the hydraulic jump or sediment deposit. The geo-related-hazardous flows consist of the granular flows, debris flows and landslides. Hence the topics are expected to cover a wide range of scientific researches and engineering applications. This mini-symposium will bring together scientists and engineers to form a new community for the latest developments on the relevant issues of shear shallow flows.

 

B. Reservoir Sediment Management

      Organizers: Hsiao-Wen Wang, Matt Kondolf, Tetsuya Sumi, Jihn-Sung Lai

     Reservoirs are used effectively for irrigation, water supply, hydropower, and flood protection. Over time, live storage of reservoir are reduced by sedimentation. There has thus been great focus on sediment management issues. An appreciation of the rate at which reservoir storage is being depleted through sedimentation and acceptance of the fact that many existing facilities fail to function in a sustainable manner are growing. Climate Change and its impacts have brought further uncertainties. While the traditional sediment management on a project by project basis, such as construction of check dams upstream of the reservoir, are being examined, the benefit of a more comprehensive strategy e.g. hydraulic flushing or bypassing, and the possible consequences to downstream reach should be further investigated. The purpose of this special issue is to target most recent theoretical, observational, analytical, experimental, and numerical studies that are at the forefront of exploring and understanding the relevance to the reservoir sediment management, with an aim of ensuring inter-generational equity and dealing with the uncertainties of nature.    

 

 

C. Modeling Fluvial Process with Dam Removal

      Organizer: Keh-Chia Yeh

      With the development of society and requirement of water resources, many structures such as dams and weirs are built across the rivers.  Some of these structures lose their functions progressively, and even approach their service life.  Upstream coming sediment is obstructed by the dam, and degradation usually occurs in the downstream reach.  For the purpose of river environmental restoration and sustenance, dam removal could be an alternate.  With the advances of computer science and numerical models, it is possible for the evaluation of dam removal through different scenarios analysis.  The migration of a river by a series of floods could be simulated, and the differences caused by dam removal or not can be assessed and compared. The simulated results can provide a reliable prediction of fluvial process, and furthermore, they could also support the adjusting strategies. This special session focuses on the influence of removing Shigang Dam, a dam in Dajia River located in middle Taiwan. The related topics include evaluation of watershed sediment yield and the usage of sediment after dam removal, simulation of river migration upstream and downstream of the dam-removal site, local scouring measurement and simulation around the piers near the dam-removal site, bank erosion due to degradation of river bed, water supply adjustment strategy due to dam removal, etc.

 

D. Urban Hydrology and Stormwater Management

      Organizers: Ke-Sheng Cheng and Kwan Tun Lee

     Urban hydrology is generally characterized by short time of concentration and very fast response to high intensity rainfalls, commonly known as flash floods. Sewer system, surface drainage facilities, detention ponds and pumping stations are often combined together to cope with such flash floods. Different landcover/landuse types, complex terrain variations, and complicated building blocks present in an urban environment make urban hydrological modeling a difficult task. This special session aims to provide a platform for presentations of innovative ideas and approaches of urban flood prevention and urban stormwater management practices. In addition to technical issues such as hydrological modeling and engineering design, we also encourage presentations on land management policies, strormwater master plan, and implementation of urban stormwater permitting. Specific topics of this session may include, but not limited to, the following items:

1. Zoning and landuse management practices for urban flood prevention

2. Realtime rainfall forecasting

3. Urban rainfall-runoff modeling

4. Urban inundation modeling

5. Urban stormwater management

6. Combined modeling of surface runoff and sewer flow

7. Design of retention/detention structures for urban flood prevention

8. Impact of climate and environmental changes on urban hydrology

9. Stormwater management permitting and master plan

10. Other issues related to urban stormwater management

 

E. Sponge City - Recover Water Cycle in Urban Area through Green Infrastructures

      Organizer: Shao-Hua Hsu

      Due to rapid urbanization and climate change, the water cycle in urban area becomes deteriorated, which leads to more floods, heat, and even sanitation problems. Many countries have implemented LID (Low Impact Development) or GI (Green Infrastructure) trying to reduce the above mentioned adverse effects and restore sound water cycle in cities for sustainable and biodiversity purposes.

Techniques and philosophies of LID or GI in planning, designing, management, and maintenance are discussed. Examples and case studies are also welcome.

 

F. River Restoration - Successful and Unsuccessful Cases in Asia

      Organizer: Shao-Hua Hsu

 

G. Managing the Resource Water: Consideration of Ecosystem Services and Function for Sustainable Water Use

     Organizers: Yu-Pin Lin, Dirk Schmeller, Wan-Yu Lien

       The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) conducted under the auspices of the United Nations in 2005 defined ecosystem services (ESs) as the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, such as water supply, water regulation, soil retention, soil accumulation, and carbon storage services. The MA also remarked that people are a part of ecosystems, and that the direct and indirect interactions between societies and natural systems are both complex and dynamic. Therefore, the maintenance of ESs may be one way in which we can achieve and maintain sustainable water resource management, this will require a deeper understanding of the hydrological cycle, the water resource system, and the entire ecosystems. The Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is an approach which has been forwarded by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations (UNDESA) in 2007. It promotes coordinated developments in water, land and related resource management for maximizing the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. The IWRM approach is an internationally recognized approach for efficient, equitable and sustainable development and management of water resources. In 2011, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP-DHI) and International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) reported that the evolution of the IWRM framework to encompass ecosystem services would enable the realization of a broader range of benefits from well-managed water and related resources. The report has stimulated research, with numerous studies conducted in both ES and IWRM in recent years. The aim of the proposed symposium is to show the wide range of studies in the area of ecosystem integrated water resources management approaches which both revitalize and inject resources into complex and under-resourced IWRM processes.

 

H. Urban Flood Resilience

     Organizers: Tsang-Jung Chang, Albert S. Chen

      Urban flooding has been a major disaster in many countries and the situation is worsening as a combination of climate change and rapid urbanization. More extreme rainfall events and raised sea level are expected to affect urban areas that are still growing such that the flood risk will escalate dramatically. To prevent the damage caused by flooding, the authorities have to adopt both structural and non-structural measures to maximize the protection. A better understanding of urban flood dynamics is essential to assess the flooding impacts so that countermeasures can be implemented to improve cities’ resilience to flooding. In the special session, the state-of-the-art methodology for urban flood modelling and risk assessment will be investigated and discussed. The applications of such models will highlight the difficulties of modelling, and the knowledge and solutions accumulated in those case studies will offer a guideline for future studies. The outcomes will strengthen the approach to develop flood resilient cities to cope with the challenges of future climate change and urban growth.

 

 

General sessions:

I. Sustainable Management of Water-related Risks

 

J. Integrated Sediment Management under Extreme Events

 

K. Groundwater Vulnerability to Climate Changes

 

L. Coastal Risk Reduction and Resilience

 

M. Building Resilience in Eco-Hydrosystem

 

N. Adaptation Strategies for a Resilient Society

 

O. Others