TURQUOISE is an interdisciplinary research project on the potential of blue-green strategies for climate adaptation. Persistent droughts between 2017 and 2021 have made it clear that Flanders is insufficiently prepared for water scarcity and droughts. The TURQUOISE project aims at a proactive approach to increase water availability.
In order to plan, implement and scale up blue-green solutions properly, more knowledge is needed about the effectiveness (or side-effects) of measures on both a local and a larger scale, as well as about how much is needed to reduce the drought risk to an acceptable level.
Concretely, TURQUOISE wants to develop a decision support framework and test it in practice to facilitate planning and increase the implementation rate of blue-green adaptation strategies. TURQUOISE focuses on four blue-green solutions in rural areas:
- restoration of (former) wetland depressions
- controlled hydraulic (drainage) systems
- infiltration pools in fields
- infiltration reservoirs with active river supply for irrigation and groundwater recharge
TURQUOISE started in October 2021, runs for 4 years and receives financial support from FWO (SBO project).