EUROFLOW – a EUROpean training and research network for environmental FLOW management in river basins

The regulation of river flows is one of the biggest stressors affecting river ecosystems across the world.  In many countries, major legislative efforts are therefore underpinning the development of new approaches to mitigate the impacts of river flow regulation. These approaches are based on optimising the management of river flows to maintain services to humans (e.g. water supply, hydropower) whilst protecting and/or rejuvenating the aquatic environment with water of adequate quantity and quality in space and time (i.e. environmental flows). In this context, a field of applied aquatic science has developed to generate the evidence base for identifying the best ways to manage the quantity, quality and patterns of environmental flows to sustain river ecosystems. Euro-FLOW will train a new cohort of researchers to be future leaders in this field.  Within Euro-FLOW, 15 early-stage researchers will develop new theoretical and empirical insights via ground-breaking experimental manipulations, large-scale field surveys and development of cutting-edge models to inform the management of water flows and aquatic ecosystems in river basins. Future research leaders will be developed through advanced training in: (i) river ecosystem science in relation to environmental flows; (ii) transferable scientific and life skills; (iii) collaborative working with international and inter-sectoral networking.  Euro-FLOW will produce scientists with the ability to span subject boundaries, e.g. hydrology, geomorphology, geochemistry, ecology, microbiology, modelling and environmental management. The strong involvement of the non-academic sector will provide the PhD students with a holistic perspective on career opportunities.