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WSA-Member Highlights Highlights from our Network
July 2026
IGB: New research building in Berlin-Dahlem
UBA: Report on the development of water demand
BFG: Low Water Information System (NIWIS)
WSA: Published program for the 16th Water Research Horizon Conference
ZWU: European premiere of the film “Seeds of Science”
More detailsUndine Award 2026 Award for project „Decentralized water retention in forests“
WSA congratulates Dr. Heike Puhlmann and her team on winning the Undine Award
Dr. Heike Puhlmann and her team received the award for the project “Decentralized Water Retention in Forests” at the Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg (FVA). The project implements water retention measures in pilot trials, such as the construction of swales, evaporation basins, or infiltration ditches. In addition to implementing these measures, the project also includes informational and educational components. On the FVA website, profiles of individual measures as well as an information sheet with practical tips can be viewed and downloaded. In addition, training sessions, workshops, and field trips are held regularly, during which the measures are presented and discussed with foresters. The prize money will be used in particular to expand this knowledge transfer through display items or explanatory videos.
Read moreAward Dr. Stephanie Spahr awarded by the German Society of Water Chemistry
WSA congratulates Dr. Stephanie Spahr on receiving the Water Chemistry Society Award
IGB research group leader Dr. Stephanie Spahr received the German Society of Water Chemistry's Division Award. She was awarded during the annual conference “Wasser 2026” in Kiel. She was honored for her extensive work on chemical pollution in urban water bodies and on the treatment of stormwater for use as a water resource whithin her research group "Organic Contaminants".
Read more in the article by the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB).Comment on the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report
WSA Comments the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report
The board of Water Science Alliance e.V. comments on the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report. The report introduces “bankruptcy” as a new narrative. It emphasizes the need for science-based, interdisciplinary adaptation to structural water deficits and long-term impacts. The WSA has supported this agenda for years. It is important to make water accounting transparent, clearly prioritize water use, strengthen governance, and integrate social, environmental, and economic aspects. The report calls for a reorientation of water management to remain within biophysical limits and underscores the urgency of action. We invite the water research community to jointly propose sustainable, actionable scientific solutions.
Read commentGlobal Change Ecology WSA member appointed to professorship at Ruhr University Bochum
WSA congratulates Prof. Dr. Linda Weiss on her professorship at RUB
WSA member Linda Weiss strengthened the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at Ruhr University Bochum on January 1, 2026, with her Global Change Ecology professorship. On January 28, 2026, she gave her inaugural lecture entitled “Molecular Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity: Adaptive Responses Meet Global Change.” We congratulate her on this important calling and look forward to working together within the Water Science Alliance.
Read more15th Water Research Horizon Conference Towards sustainable urban water cycles
Report on the 15th Water Research Horizon Conference
Urban water systems face mounting pressures from climate change and urbanization, demanding innovative, and interdisciplinary solutions. The 15th Water Research Horizon Conference brought together experts from diverse fields to explore sustainable urban water cycles, integrating nature-based solutions and fostering collaboration. This event underscored the vital role of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing water challenges and shaping resilient urban futures.
Read reportAI workshop by BfG and WSA Artificial Intelligence in Water Research – Opportunities, Potentials, and Challenges
Report on the AI workshop organized by BfG and WSA
At a joint workshop organized by the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) and the Water Science Alliance, which took place on October 8 and 9, 2025, in Koblenz, 120 experts from federal and state government agencies, universities, and research institutions discussed how the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used in practice. On the first day of the event, a wide range of presentations were offered in four thematic sessions: “Hydrology,” “Water Budget,” “Image and Video Processing,” and “Generative AI.” The second day focused on exchange: at the World Café, around 50 participants discussed the opportunities and challenges of using AI in various areas of application.
Read reportStatement on the position papers from the coalition negotiations between the CDU/CSU and SPD
WSA recommends three key adjustments
The WSA has taken note of the coalition working groups' drafts with great interest. It expressly welcomes the clear commitment to Germany as a research location, but urgently recommends three key adjustments to research and water policy. These aspects should also be reflected in the final coalition agreement, as water and inland waters are central, critical, and security-relevant resources for Germany.
Read statement (german)Facing the Flood An Interview with Prof. André Niemann
Germany's Growing Climate Challenge
Germany is facing an alarming rise in severe flooding, with regions from North Rhine-Westphalia to Bavaria increasingly affected by extreme weather. As climate change intensifies, more frequent and intense floods put vulnerable areas at significant risk, underscoring the urgent need for resilient solutions to protect communities and infrastructure.
An article in the gwf was based on this interview. Read the full article: The growing challenge of flood management
Read the full interviewFirst WSA Career Navigator Grant approved
On the road to expertise: the electrofishing licence as the key to fish ecology
The aquatic world is vital for ecological balance, with fish playing a central role as indicators of water quality. Stefan Grosenick from the Aquatic Ecology working group at the University of Duisburg-Essen, who recently received the first WSA Career Navigator grant, is obtaining an electrofishing license to enhance his expertise and contribute to aquatic conservation.
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