About us

The Environmental Fluid Dynamics lab is a research line within the Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics group from Wageningen University.

Environmental fluid mechanics applies fluid dynamics principles to study the behavior of water in natural settings. It investigates interactions between fluid flow and environmental features, addressing issues like river dynamics, coastal processes, and pollutant transport. This field provides essential insights for understanding and managing environmental challenges. This research line focusses on flow processes and river bed changes in deltas using new monitoring methods using acoustic, optical and radar measurements.

In deltas, rivers branch out into inland channels that are influenced by marine influences. Extremely high discharges can compromise the safety of residents and strong currents can accelerate erosion. Extremely low tides can cause ships to run aground and can lead to salinity intrusion, which can have consequences for the freshwater supply.

Here, knowledge from hydrology, oceanography and geology is combined. A better understanding of delta flow processes is needed in order to develop environmentally friendly interventions that can help us counteract the effects of climate change, which leads to more extreme river discharges and rising sea levels.

Experience
Our research line gained much experience with both laboratory and field measurements. Our laboratory facilities and instruments can be found on the website of our Laboratory for Water and Sediment Dynamics. Our field work focusses on ADCP and Multibeam measurements. Feel free to reach out to us to discuss possibilities to help facilitating your research!