Water & Ecology Forum | Dragan Savic：Hydroinformatics in Practice: Can It Address Ecological Challenges?
Published 09 August, 2024
Dragan Savic serves as an editorial board member of W&E, the chief executive officer of KWR Water Institute in the Netherlands, and is also a member of both the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) and the Academy of Europe (AE). In his presentation, he delved into the successful applications of hydroinformatics in addressing ecological issues within the context of global water security. He argued that by combining science with practice and utilizing digital technologies to acquire and analyze water resource data, hydroinformatics provides a crucial tool for addressing global water security challenges.
Through case studies including the monitoring of water quality and macrophytes in the Danube River, as well as the national map of shallow groundwater quality in the Netherlands, Professor Savic demonstrated how, with the support of digital technologies, hydroinformatics can be leveraged for ecological restoration, the realization of urban ecology and nature-based water management. He also highlighted the pressures on water resources posed by population growth and climate change, as well as the food security problem. Furthermore, he introduced the applications of digital technologies in water resources management, such as using smartphones, smartwatches, and other devices to collect data for water quality prediction and analysis.
Professor Savic pointed out that hydroinformatics presents a pivotal opportunity to address global water security and ecological challenges. However, he also cautioned that ethical considerations, biodiversity concerns, and principles of equity must not be overlooked. He emphasized that future challenges will transcend the technical realm and extend into the realms of policy and practical implementation.
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