Development of actionable discharge and salt intrusion forecasts

Seawater enters the lower reaches of the Rhine every tidal cycle through the Rotterdam Waterway. When Rhine discharge is low, it can intrude further inland than usual. This is problematic for agriculture and drinking water provision in the inland regions. To push the salt water back, extra fresh water can be let into the system from reservoirs like the IJsselmeer. To do this, water managers need to know in advance when a salt intrusion problem could occur. We want to improve the forecasts for these events, increasing the lead time and giving a better indication of the chance they happen.