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15th International SedNet Conference In Budapest, Hungary

The 15th International SedNet Conference will take place from 27 September to 1 October 2027 in Budapest, Hungary. This edition is particularly special, as it marks the 25th anniversary of SedNet.

The conference will feature a dedicated anniversary theme, along with a range of exciting programme elements and opportunities for collaboration and exchange.

Mark your calendar and keep an eye out for upcoming announcements, including the conference theme, Call for Abstracts, and other exciting details about SedNet 2027.

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SedNet Conference 2025 – Poster Prize Winners

Poster Prize Winners SedNet Conference 2025

During the SedNet Conference 2025, participants had the opportunity to vote for this year’s Best Poster Award a wonderful tradition that highlights the creativity, dedication, and scientific excellence of our sediment community.
The award celebrates outstanding contributions to the sustainable management of sediments bridging science, policy, and practice and showcasing the next generation of ideas shaping Europe’s water and soil systems.

The first place winner receives a ticket to a next SedNet Conference. The first, second and third place winners each get the opportunity to contribute an item to this SedNet E-newsletter. Below you will find their contributions.

Contribution First Place Winner:

Cécile LUC-REY, PhD student at BIOMAE in collaboration with RiverLy laboratory of INRAE

If you read this, you already know that freshwater sediments are a sink of contaminants. If not, now you know. Those contaminants are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon1 (PAH), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), pharmaceuticals and personal care products2 (PPCP), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances3 (PFAS), metals4,5… This is a non-exhaustive list. Today, chemical analyses are the primary approach for studying sediment contamination, in line with the Water Framework Directive (WFD)requirements. However, it is important to complete these with bioassays to provide an effects-based assessment of sediment quality and to integrate chemical mixtures and bioavailable compounds. Click here to read further.

Contribution Second Place Winner:

Understanding Sediment Dynamics in Port of Felixstowe

The UK’s largest container port, Felixstowe, faces sedimentation challenges, with approximately 2.4 million m³ of sediment requiring management annually [1]. To optimize their maintenance strategies and enhance navigability, Harwich Haven Authority is exploring the implementation of PIANC’s nautical bottom concept [2], which relies on understanding the rheological and settling behavior of the muddy bed in the port. Rheological behavior of muddy bed differs from port to port, therefore it is necessary to characterize the mud locally to understand mud behavior. Click here to read further.

Contribution Third Place Winner:

The SedNet third award-winning poster highlights how mercury moves across ecosystems

Mercury contamination: an old story, an open question Mercury remains one of the most critical contaminants in freshwater ecosystems. Today, around 50% of European surface water bodies fail to achieve good chemical status due to mercury concentrations. But where does this pollutant actually accumulate? The answer lies in sediments, which act not only as a sink for mercury, but also as the ideal environment for its transformation into methylmercury, the most toxic and bioavailable form. This is where our SedNet award-winning study begins. In the Toce River (Northern Italy), legacy mercury contamination is still present in sediments at low concentrations, while levels in the water column are often below detection limits. Yet, this apparent absence in water does not mean the risk has disappeared. In fact, benthic invertebrates play a crucial role in transferring mercury from sediments into the aquatic food web. Click here to read further.

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Meet the Network: Susanne Heise

We are pleased to continue our SedNet Interview Series by introducing Prof. Susanne Heise, Professor of Environmental Toxicology and Risk Management at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.

As co-chair of SedNet’s Working Group on Sediment Quality, Prof. Heise plays an important role in advancing discussions on sediment management across Europe.

In this video, Prof. Heise discusses what makes SedNet a unique and valuable network, the impact of SedNet’s Working Groups, and why experts and professionals should join the SedNet community.

Learn more at the SedNet Conference on Healthy Sediments, taking place from 6 to 10 October 2025 in Madrid.

Let’s meet in Madrid to exchange knowledge and work together towards a sustainable and healthy future for our planet.

Click here for the full video.

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Meet the Network: Jos Brils

Next up in our SedNet interview series, we’re excited to feature Jos Brils, a leading expert in sustainable natural resource management at Deltares.

With a background in biology and over 35 years of experience in sediment work, Jos brings deep knowledge and a long-term perspective to the challenges and opportunities in sediment management.

💬 In his interview, Jos shares:
🔹 The impact of SedNet on the European sediment community
🔹 Key contributions to European sediment strategies and tools
🔹 His vision for the future of SedNet and the role of sediments in sustainability

🧭 Whether you’re a policymaker, researcher, or environmental professional, Jos’s insights offer valuable reflections on where we’ve been—and where we’re headed.

📅 Learn more about the importance of sediment at our upcoming SedNet Conference on Healthy Sediments, taking place on 6–10 October 2025 in Madrid.

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SedNet Kick-off Interview Series: Meet the Network!

SedNet Kick-off Interview Series: Meet the Network!

With the SedNet Conference just around the corner, this is the perfect moment to get to know more about SedNet and the people behind it.

In this brand-new interview series, we spotlight the network’s mission, impact, and vision for sustainable sediment management across Europe and beyond.

In the first episode, Co-chairs Ilka Carls and Henrich Röper discuss:

– How SedNet is promoting sustainable sediment management and reshaping the narrative,

– The power of a network-based approach,

– The main challenges SedNet addresses, and

– Their vision for the future of sediment policy and practice.

🎥 Watch the video and get to know the network that’s reshaping the sediment conversation in Europe. To watch the complete interview please click here.

📣 And don’t forget: the preliminary programme for the upcoming SedNet Conference is now available, and registration is open! A great opportunity to dive deeper into the topic and connect with the SedNet community in person!

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SedNet 2025: Preliminary programme & registration open

The 14th International SedNet Conference is set for 6–10 October 2025 in Madrid – and both the preliminary programme and registration are live!

The programme spans six key themes, including:
🔹 Zero Pollution
🔸 Nature-Based Solutions
🔹 Sediment Flows
🔸 Citizen Science & Sediment Literacy
🔹 Data & AI
🔸 Policy & Management Strategies

Whether you’re focused on research, policy, or practical implementation, SedNet 2025 offers a packed week of insights, case studies, and collaboration across disciplines and countries.

Check out the sessions and secure your place: https://lnkd.in/e8iDDgwb

We look forward to welcoming you to Madrid for an inspiring and action-oriented week on Healthy Sediments!

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JSSS Special Issue: SedNet 2023 Table of Content

We are excited to announce that the table of contents for the 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 of the 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 (𝗝𝗦𝗦𝗦) is now available!

The JSSS focuses on soils and sediments, including intact, disturbed, and contaminated systems. This special issue features contributions presented at the 𝟭𝟯𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗱𝗡𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯, which revolved around the theme: “𝗦𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘂𝗺: 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵”.

The goal of this Special Issue is to bring together cutting-edge research on sediment management presented during the SedNet conference 2023. It aims to provide broader access to these insights through a rigorous peer-review process, while highlighting the critical need to address sediment management challenges and the impacts of global climate change on sediment quality and quantity.

We invite you to explore this comprehensive volume and engage with the latest research driving innovation in sediment management.

Access the JSSS Special Issue below:

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SedNet Conference 2025: Call For Abstracts Extended Deadline

14th International SedNet Conference 2025

From the 6th until the 10th of October 2025 the SedNet conference will take place in Madrid, Spain. At the conference, we invite abstracts for a series of sessions aiming to explore different challenges and proposed solutions related to the theme “Healthy Sediments”.

The (preliminary) conference program will be available soon.

Workshops

The SedNet Working Groups will be hosting a workshop on 6 October 2025, one day prior to the conference.

Working Group on Sediments in the Circular Economy (CE)

Below you will find the program for the Working Group on Sediments in the Circular Economy (CE). The registration link is included in the program.

The call for abstracts has been closed.

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Share your inspiring Sediment Stories with us!

Sediment literacy can be defined as “The state of knowing about or being familiar with sediment. It concerns both a popular awareness about the importance of sediment and specialized, practice-oriented knowledge related to achieving sediment health.”*

SedNet wants to boost sediment literacy!

Thus, we ask you to please share inspiring examples to boost sediment literacy. These can be (serious) games, stories, narratives, short movies, infographics, cartoons, podcasts, lectures, training sessions, courses, artistic expressions, etc.

Share your examples with us by sending them to the SedNet secretariat.

Depending on the materials we receive, we will determine the most appropriate format(s) to share these examples publicly and broadly.

For some inspiration, we want to kick off with the inspiring narrative “The Sound of Sediment” by the Dutch artist Carmen Molenaar.

We are looking forward to receiving your examples!

* Adapted from Nougues and Brils (2022) Soil and Land Management Ontology Reference document.

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Joined SedNet Working Groups Workshop and Meeting 3 – 5 June 2024 in Hamburg, Germany

From June 4-5, the SedNet workshop was held in Hamburg, Germany, bringing together experts, researchers, and professionals to discuss the latest developments and innovations in sediment management. On June 4th, the Working Group Circular Economy and the Working Group Quality held joint sessions, while the Working Group Education-Science-Policy Interfacing & Sediment Management Concepts (ESPI-SMC) also organised a session.

On June 5th, the excursion took place to the METHA Plant, the dewatering and S25 Project fields. The site visits were followed by a guided boat tour through the Harbor of Hamburg. The excursion day concluded with a delightful dinner.

The workshop was a fantastic opportunity for networking, learning, and sharing knowledge with professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Below you will find the workshop program, the summaries of the workshops and presentations.

To give you an impression of the SedNet workshop, we have compiled a short aftermovie.

Thank you to all participants and presenters during the workshop days. If you are interested in learning more about SedNet activities or joining a working group, please reach out to the SedNet secretariat.

WG ESPI-SCM
WG ESPI-SMC
WG CE & Quality
WG CE & Quality
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
METHA Plant
S25 & Dewatering fields
S25 & Dewatering fields
S25 & Dewatering fields
S25 & Dewatering fields
S25 & Dewatering fields
S25 & Dewatering fields
S25 & Dewatering fields
Boat tour
Boat tour
Boat tour
Boat tour
Hamburg Harbor

Contact Persons:

Working Group Sediment Quality:
Susanne Heise (Hamburg University of Applied Science, Germany) / Carmen Casado (Centre Ecotox, Switzerland)

Working Group Circular Economy:
Arjan Wijdeveld (Deltares, The Netherlands) / Julia Gebert (Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands)

Education-Science-Policy Interfacing & Sediment Management Concepts:
Edward Van Keer (Flemish Government, Belgium) / Cristina Ponte Lira (University of Lisbon, Portugal)

For the site visit:
Karsten Lehmann (Port of Hamburg, Waterside Infrastructure, Germany)

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Poster Prize Winners SedNet Conference 2025

Contribution First Place Winner:

Cécile LUC-REY, PhD student at BIOMAE in collaboration with RiverLy laboratory of INRAE

Contribution Second Place Winner:

Understanding Sediment Dynamics in Port of Felixstowe

Contribution Third Place Winner:

The SedNet third award-winning poster highlights how mercury moves across ecosystems

14th International SedNet Conference 2025

Contact Persons:

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