Metaheuristic Optimization of Catchment Management

The placement of environmental measures in catchments can have an impact on the efficiency of river basin management schemes, e.g. due to upstream-downstream effects or due to a mismatch between environmental and socio-economic criteria. In particular, nutrient management involves a variety of measures for the reduction of point and non-point source inputs. In this project, metaheuristic optimization is applied for the spatial placement of strategies to reduce Nitrate pollution to comply with the Water Framework Directive (WFD). A case study is being developed to test the optimization technique using the eco-hydrological model SWAT in the Hörsel-Nesse (Werra) catchment.