12th International Meuse Symposium

It is our pleasure to announce the 12th International Meuse Symposium on Wednesday 9^th of September 2026 in Liège (Belgium). The objective of the International Meuse Symposium is to share and exchange knowledge and expertise on (cross-border) water governance, water-related modelling, and the hydrological and water-quality processes of the Meuse basin. The Meuse Symposium welcomes scientists, water managers, and stakeholders who are connected to or engaged with the Meuse basin.

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The International Meuse Symposium will kick off with a plenary session, followed by two parallel programs:

Plenary session

The invited speakers who will open the symposium are:

• Prof. dr. Michelle van Vliet (Full Professor of Water Quality and Sustainable Water Systems at Utrecht University, the Netherlands);
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Schüttrumpf (University Professor, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, RWTH Aachen University, Germany).

A) Water quantity

Chairs: Benjamin Dewals (Université de Liège), Sébastien Erpicum (Université de Liège), Bernhard Becker (Deltares and RWTH Aachen University) and Laurène Bouaziz (Deltares).

The Water Quantity programme brings together a diverse community of scientists, engineers, and water managers to address shared challenges in the Meuse basin. Through the exchange of research findings, modelling advances, and lessons learned from practice, the programme aims to strengthen cross‑border understanding and support effective adaptation in a changing climate. We strongly encourage practitioners to share their experiences on the implementation of adaptation measures in a dedicated session. For this year we welcome contributions on the following themes:

• Hydrological extremes and climate change;
• Implementation of adaptation measures;
• Groundwater hydrology;
• Modelling hydraulics, river morphology, particle transport and water quality;
• Ecology, habitats, aquatic species;
• Management and renewal of water-related infrastructure;
• International challenges and collaboration at the catchment level.

B) Water quality

Chairs: Merle Gerritsen (Waterschap Limburg), Roel Kwanten (Rijkswaterstaat) and Marjolein Jacobs-van Eerd (Schone Maaswaterketen); representing the Dutch collaboration of water management governments and drinking water companies Schone Maaswaterketen.

Aim of this parallel programme is to inspire each other, to build an international network of experts and professionals in the field of water quality and to exchange expertise and knowledge for addressing water quality issues in the Meuse river basin. "How do we – in a cross-border context – deal with monitoring, search and identification approaches for sources of pollution and the management of industrial pollution – to eventually reach a clean and safe Meuse river basin?"

Contributions can for example consider the reduction of micro pollutants, micro plastics, PFAS, and medicines in water in the context of climate change and societal and industrial impact on water quality issues. We are looking for contributions from both the scientific research field as well as the field of practitioners concerning for instance the implementation of measures to reduce pollution. We focus on the following topics:

• Organic micro-pollutants (i.e. medicines and industrial chemicals) and related water quality goals;
• Related policies and practices;
• Pollution source identification, monitoring, and modelling;
• Discharge permits and legal enforcement.

  We welcome your contributions that can be submitted as oral or poster presentations as part of your registration.
 
Kind regards,
 
Laurène Bouaziz, Benjamin Dewals, Bernhard Becker, Sébastien Erpicum, Merle Gerritsen and Marjolein Jacobs- van Eerd

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