6th International SedNet conference on 7-8 October 2009, Hamburg, Germany
The Role of Sediments in Coastal Management
and Special Session on 9 October 2009
Managing the Elbe Estuary
Hosted and co-organised by: Hamburg Port Authority 
The issue of Sediment Management is rising on the European agenda. Sediment topics will be an element of River Basin Management Plans to be published in 2009 under the Water Framework Directive. Sediment Management is also an important part of the work of a European Working Group on Estuary Management, organised by DG Environment of the EU Commission. Furthermore, sediments are explicitly mentioned in new EU legislation, like the Directive on Environmental Quality Standards in the field of water policy, the Marine Strategy Directive, and the Waste Directive.
In Europe the largest amounts of sediments have to be dredged in the North Sea region, where the natural sediment regime in the sea leads to high sedimentation in ports, harbours and waterways. Additionally, sediments gain in importance due to sea level rise and loss of fine grained sediments in the Wadden Sea.
On this background SedNet organised its 6th International two-day Conference on Sediment Management in the city of Hamburg. In Hamburg ongoing river restoration challenges coincide with dredging needs and sediments play a central role. The region is a good example to discuss cross-cutting science-policy issues.
At the beginning of the conference a report was given from the SedNet Round Table Discussion on “Implementation of sediment management issues into the first RBM Plans”.
On day 3, the day after the conference, a Special Session with the title “Managing the Elbe Estuary” was held, covering local challenges and solutions in sediment management.
A poster session formed part of the program during 7-8 October.
