Too much and yet not enough water: smart management in times of hydrological extremes
© Helmholtz/SynCom, Julia Blenn
The increasing intensity of floods, heat waves and droughts under global warming threatens health, lives, infrastructure, urban areas, agriculture, forestry and natural sites. These hydro-meteorological risks are among the major societal challenges of the 21st century, requiring collaborative interdisciplinary effort. The Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment Project HydroExtremes addresses this challenge by strengthening networks and pooling expertise in the Helmholtz Research Field Earth and Environment. The project synthesizes scientific knowledge and practical solutions along the entire process chain from meteorological conditions and hydrological changes to potential impacts of extreme events. It focuses on identifying knowledge gaps, dealing with uncertainties and methods based on AI/ML to improve forecasting and analyzing tools.
Effective management of flood risk, water availability, and heat stress further demands concerted solutions that address both water surplus and scarcity. This can only be achieved in a transdisciplinary way. The Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment organizes a stakeholder workshop to promote dialogue with practitioners to explore opportunities for co-design. In addition, the Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment coordinates a parliamentary event to discuss the need for action in the light of current extreme events.
Participating Helmholtz Centres
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (GFZ) German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH (UFZ), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (FZJ), Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon / Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Lead Scientists
Prof. Dr. Harald Kunstmann (KIT), Prof. Dr. Peter Knippertz (KIT), Prof. Dr. Bruno Merz (GFZ), Prof. Dr. Heidi Kreibich (GFZ), Prof. Dr. Christian Kuhlicke (UFZ), Prof. Dr. Stefan Kollet (FZJ)
© Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment
Kick-off workshop
On January 15, 2025, the Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment Project HydroExtremes held its kick-off workshop to focus on project activities and exchange ideas on potential thematic approaches. In a World Café format, discussions took place at three thematic tables on i) the project content and the hydro-meteorological process chain, ii) the synthesis process, and iii) interaction with stakeholders.
Impressions of the HydroExtremes synthesis workshop. © Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment
Synthesis workshop
On June 30 and July 1, 2025, about 40 researchers from six Helmholtz Centres came together to present models and datasets related to hydro-meteorological extremes within the Helmholtz community. This inventory was aligned along the entire process chain of hydro-meteorological events. In the discussions, research gaps, potential for cooperation, and strategies for stakeholder engagement were addressed.
© Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment
© Helmholtz Forum Earth and Environment
Stakeholder Workshop for the HydroExtremes Project
On April 14 and 15, 2026, a transdisciplinary stakeholder workshop was held at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities as part of the HydroExtremes project. Representatives from academia, government, and practice discussed current challenges in dealing with hydrometeorological extreme events, ranging from droughts to floods, in the context of climate change.
The aim of the workshop was to strengthen cross-sectoral exchange, identify key challenges, and further develop joint, practical solutions. The focus was on the question of how to deal with the increasing extremes of “too much” and “too little” water in a more integrated and forward-looking manner in the future.
The full workshop report can be found here.
Contact
Dr. Susanna Mohr: susanna.mohr@kit.edu, Dr. Ulrike Scherer: ulrike.scherer@kit.edu