Liège, 11 September 2025 — The 11th International Meuse Symposium convened in Liège, bringing together experts in hydrology, water management, and policy to exchange knowledge and discuss developments in the Meuse river basin. The event attracted researchers, water authorities, and stakeholders committed to advancing sustainable water governance and improving basin-wide collaboration.
The symposium opened with a plenary session, including remarks from the International Meuse Commission. Two keynote presentations followed:
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Sébastien Epricum addressed the role of hydraulic structures in flood management, with reference to the 2021 flood event.
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Thomas Wintgens presented findings from the StopUP project, focusing on strategies to reduce emissions from urban runoff.
The program then split into two parallel thematic tracks:
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Water Quantity, where JCAR ATRACE contributed significantly. Maria Paula shared results from field surveys in Belgium examining the impact of flooding on the commercial sector. Sebastian Hartgring and Paul Hassenjurgen presented a hydrological stress test developed for the Rur catchment.
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Water Quality and Organic Micropollutants, which featured research on monitoring and mitigation strategies.
The symposium demonstrated the depth of ongoing international research efforts in the Meuse basin. At the same time, the presentations underscored emerging challenges related to climate extremes. These developments highlight the relevance of the work carried out within the JCAR ATRACE programme, and we were pleased to contribute to the discussions at this year’s symposium.
Presentation materials from the symposium are available here.
