Simultaneous occurrence of discharge peaks in a large river and its lowland tributaries

Water management in lowland areas has focused on facilitating rapid drainage over the past centuries leading to increased flows during wet periods, but also to lower groundwater tables during dry periods. This has impacted society e.g. by increased need for irrigation and subsidence of soils. Water managers in lowland areas therefore try to focus on smart water management, wherein water is retained as much as possible. This study focuses on regional effects of delaying discharge peaks for water retention, which could alter the occurrence of discharge peaks at confluences so that the discharge peaks coincide. There is currently a lack of knowledge on processes and effects of simultaneous occurrence of discharge peaks in both hydrological and hydraulic research areas. Here, we investigate the simultaneous occurrence of discharge peaks for the River Meuse and a lowland tributary, by making use of the Dynamic Time Warping method. The outcome will help water authorities with making informed decisions to reduce flood risk and helps preparing them for floodings like the unexpected flooding of January 1995.