Forest Harvesting
Forest harvesting can cause severe disruptions to the hydrologic cycle. Clearcut areas are often subject to localized flooding due to reductions in evapotranspiration caused by removal of trees.Forests as large-scale water pumps
Much of the evapotranspiration from forests falls elsewhere as rain, Ellison et al.Gabion
A gabion (from Italian gabbione meaning "big cage"; from Italian gabbia and Latin cavea meaning "cage") is a cage, cylinder, or box filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand and soil for use in civil engineering, roGreen cover
Green cover (including cover crops or catch crops) refers to crops planted in late summer or autumn, usually on arable land, to protect the soil, which would otherwise lie bare during the winter, against wind and water eGreen infrastructure
EU definition: Green Infrastructure is addressing the spatial structure of natural and semi-natural areas but also other environmental features which enable citizens to benefit from its multiple services.Headwater areas
Targeted planting of forests in headwater areas (e.g. with a slope) can help to stabilize hillslopes, thereby reducing erosion and potentially leading to greater water retention in montane areas.Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the European Union's flagship research and innovation framework programme for the period 2021-2027, with a budget of around €93.5 billion.
Hydraulic annexes
To ease the overall functioning of the river, some hydrographical network elements could be reconnected, including the so-called hydraulic annexes.Infiltration Trenches
Shallow excavations filled with gravel or other material to create temporary storage and to enhance the natural capacity of the ground to infiltrate.Interception
Rainfall that is stored on a vegetation canopy and later evaporated back to the atmosphere.Lake
An enclosed body of water, usually but not necessarily fresh water, from which the sea is excluded. (Source: WHIT)Lake restoration
Lakes are by definition water retention facilities; they store water (for flood control) and provide water for many purposes such as water supply, irrigation, fisheries, tourism, etc.ﾠ In addition, they serve as sinks foLand-use conversion
Land-use conversion is the change of a land parcel from one functional use category to another, tracked under IPCC’s AFOLU framework and embedded in EU LULUCF reporting.
Landscape
An area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”.
Levelling of dams/ longitudinal barriers
Levelling longitudinal barriers allows re-establishing fluvial dynamics and ecological continuity.Lifespan
Length of time for which the NWRM may fully operate.Low Impact Development
LID is a toolbox of site-scale practices that the site designer and developer can utilize to:
Maintenance
From the perspective of Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM), maintenance is the set of actions or processes that are performed to keep an already existing natural process functioning in the best possible manner.Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR)
MAR is the purposeful recharge of water to aquifers for subsequent recovery and environmental benefit.Meadows and pastures
Meadows are areas or fields whose main vegetation is grass, or other non-woody plants, used for mowing and haying.ﾠ Pastures are grassed or wooded areas, moorland or heathland, generally used for grazing.Mulching
A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of an area of soil.Multiplier effect
Factor of proportionality that shows how much spending in a NWRM may induce direct or indirect changes in macroeconomic variables, such as income, employment, investment, etc.Natural bank stabilisation
In the past, various activities were undertaken to straighten rivers, such as the stabilisation of river banks with concrete or other types of retention walls.ﾠ Such actions limited riversﾒ natural movements, leading toNatural Water Retention Measure
Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) are multi-functional measures that aim to protect and manage water resources and address water-related challenges by restoring or maintaining ecosystems as well as natural featu