On 9 March 2018 a symposium will be organized on  

Sediment management in deltas – Implications and challenges of disturbed sediment continua for society

River to the coastal sea sediment continua are disturbed, globally. Several river-sea-systems are short of sediment mostly due to damming. This causes dramatic impacts such as drowning deltas. Scientists and stakeholders should team-up urgently in research and innovation to find solutions. This symposium addresses the status in the Rhine/Meuse – North Sea system. Furthermore, the DANUBIUS-RI research infrastructure (RI) is presented as disturbed sediment continua may become a key research topic in this RI. The symposium also aims to gain support and ingredients for drafting of a sediment continuum call text to promote as topic under EC FP9, i.e. the follow-up of HORIZON2020.

The symposium will be held in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands, and is organized by the Netherlands Centre for River Studies (NCR), Netherlands centre for Coastal Research (NCK), DANUBIUS-RI, Deltares, and Utrecht University Future Deltas.

More info and registration on https://ncr-web.org/events/5/seminar-sediment-in-deltas/#registration

A peer reviewed paper on the outcome of the INSPIRATION project has been published in the journal Science of the Total Environment (STOTEN).
INSPIRATION’s aim was to set a strategic research agenda on soil, land-use and land management in Europe. The project has received funding from European Union’s H2020 research program. It ended in December 2017.

• The paper presents and offers critique of a bottom-up research agenda on soil and land use.
• The paper links soil-sediment-water system use and knowledge demands with research needs.
• Research agenda setting was an iterative process involving more than 500 experts.
• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the approach are identified.
• Key recommendations include preparation of implementation network early on.

The link to the article is freely accessible until 1st February: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1WDCqB8cccp~k

More info INSPIRATION see http://www.inspiration-h2020.eu/

The Scientific Committee of the 28th SETAC Europe Annual Meeting in Rome (13-17 May 2018) has planned the session “Holistic Risk Assessment of Chemicals in Sediments and Soils Using Weight of Evidence Approaches”  (chairs: Sebastian Höss, Ute Feiler, Susanne Heise, Lucie Bielská) under  track 4: Ecological risk assessment and human health risk assessment of chemicals, mixtures and stressors and risk mitigation strategies). The description of the session can be found on the submission site: https://rome.setac.org/programme/scientific-programme/call-for-abstracts/

Deadline for abstract submission: Wednesday 29 November 2017.
Please note that for an oral presentation you must submit an extended abstract.

When soils become sediments: Large-scale storage of soils in sandpits and lakes and the impact of reduction kinetics on heavy metals and arsenic release to groundwater*,**

Jos P.M. Vink a, *, Andre van Zomeren b, Joris J. Dijkstra b, Rob N.J. Comans c

a Deltares, Unit Subsurface & Groundwater Systems, PO-box 85467, 3508 AL Utrecht, The Netherlands
b Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, PO-box 1, 1755 ZG Petten, The Netherlands
c Wageningen University, Dept. Soil Quality, PO-box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

Article published in Environmental Pollution – Journal homepage   http://www.elsevier.com/locate/envpol

The Interreg project “sullied sediments” that was introduced in the SedNet newsletter of April 2017, has the aim to improve decision making with regard to sediment management, removal and disposal, reducing economic costs while at the same time securing the health of the the environment. If you would like to stay informed about the activities of the project, you can follow the blog at https://sulliedsediments.wordpress.com/

Public understanding of coastal dynamics and evolution is of vital importance in supporting the implementation of sustainable coastal management. However, successfully delivering scientific information to the general public is a challenging task. “The Beaches of Cascais: past and present” science-based exhibition aimed at upstream public engagement on coastal issues. Results from two surveys, conducted before and after the exhibition, provide valuable insights on the effectiveness of these types of initiatives as successful outreach platforms to raise public understanding about coastal evolution. A 7-minute video compiling the several elements of the “The Beaches of Cascais: past and present” exhibition is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEwCowPokOY

See also article in Ocean & Coastal Management: Upstream public engagement on coastal issues: Audience response to a science-based exhibition

The Portuguese Environment Agency [http://www.apambiente.pt/index.php?ref=x178] will develop in a short notice a project to evaluate sediment sources offshore (between -20m CD (closure depth) to -35m CD) to identify borrow areas for high magnitude beach nourishment operations in the western coast of Portugal. The project, designated CHIMERA, is part of the ongoing sediment management strategy and policy, assuming the replacement of the sediment budget as the main coastal protection measure in areas with large background erosion.

For the project “Sullied Sediments” which started in January 2017, the work group on Applied Aquatic Toxicology (AAT) at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW) is looking for a highly motivated individual with a degree in biology or environmental sciences (or a comparable field) and, ideally, some experience in the following areas: ecotoxicology, microbiology, environmental toxicology.

“Sullied Sediments” is an EU-Interreg-Project with 13 partners, coordinated by the University of Hull, and aims at an improved assessment, treatment and protection of freshwater sediments, especially with regard to EU-watch list chemicals. The AATs major focus within the project will be ecotoxicological testing and evaluation of biotest results in combination with chemical data and in close cooperation with national and international partners.

It concerns a half time position starting at the soonest possible date. The position will end on December 31, 2019.

See for detailed information: 015-17 DM Stellenausschreibung – EnglischStellenausschreibung Sullied Sediments – Bewerbungsschluss 17.3.2017 (and in German: Stellenausschreibung Sullied Sediments – Bewerbungsschluss 17.3.2017)

Deadline for application is 17 March 2017.

Position available at the University of Leeds (postdoctoral level) to work on a newly awarded project iCASP – Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme – (~ £5million NERC funded); 5 years duration, application deadline 19^th of March 2017.

This is a research position on the socio-economics of catchment solutions. The appointed person will work on assessing the benefits of catchment solutions based on robust natural science-base. The appointed person will engage extensively with natural scientists and non-academic partners, but will also have the opportunity to develop cutting-edge socio-economic research. An impact officer will support the appointed person on its role.

You can find all the details here: https://jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=ENVJS1001