Group photo of project partner meeting at BOKU (23.06.2026)
Photo: Olívia Barta, OVF
The third meeting of the InnoWATCCH project was held in Vienna on June 23–24, 2026, at the BOKU River Lab. Supported by the Interreg Danube Region Program, the project aims to contribute to addressing problems caused by water scarcity, declining water quality, flood protection challenges, and outdated water management infrastructure in the Danube Basin through innovative water retention solutions. The project focuses on Central Europe and the middle and lower sections of the Danube and Sava rivers, where the effects of climate change are especially severe.
The meeting brought together the General Directorate of Water Management (OVF, Hungary), GeoGold Kárpátia Environmental and Engineering Expert Ltd. (Hungary), the Technical University of Munich (Germany), the Croatian Geological Survey (Croatia), the Research and Development Institute for Wildlife and Mountain Resources (Romania), the Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research (Austria), the Public Water Management Company Vode Vojvodine (Serbia), CESCI Balkans (Serbia) and the Bulgarian Water Association (Bulgaria).
At the meeting, the partners reviewed the progress made during the previous period, with particular emphasis on data collection processes, the selection of sample areas, and the preliminary assessment of various water retention technologies. In addition, detailed discussions took place regarding the investigation of hydrodynamic relationships and the analysis of ecological and environmental impacts. Within the scope of InnoWATCCH, the partners are examining the water storage potential of paleochannels, the relationship between groundwater and surface water, and the possibilities of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), i.e., the artificial recharge of groundwater reserves.
As the lead partner, the OVF is responsible for the technical and financial coordination of the project, harmonising the work of the partners, and ensuring the consistent presentation of the project’s results. The project’s tasks also include developing a common methodology for selecting sample areas, designing an integrated monitoring system, analyzing environmental impacts, and preparing a joint action plan and a methodological handbook.
The hall of BOKU River Lab
Photo: Lilla Kövesdi, OVF
As part of the professional program, on the first day the participants visited the BOKU River Lab, which, with its state-of-the-art hydraulic research infrastructure, provides the opportunity to study the functioning of open river systems, sediment transport, and the hydraulic effects of hydraulic engineering interventions. The on-site demonstration illustrated how research and implemented water management developments are closely linked to the project goals of InnoWATCCH.
Field trip to the project’s Austrian sample area
Photo: Lilla Kövesdi, OVF
On the second day, participants took a field trip to the project’s Austrian sample area, followed by a tour of the Johler Arm tributary restoration project site. During the field visit, they were able to gain firsthand experience with interventions that offer practical solutions for nature-based water retention and flood risk reduction. Overall, the meeting helped the partner institutions jointly shape their work for the coming period and further strengthen their cooperation in addressing water management challenges in the Danube region.
Written by: Lilla Kövesdi, International Department, General Directorate of Water Management of Hungary