Modern Water Management and the Challenges of Climate Change at the World Heritage Property Upper Harz Water Management System

Authors

  • Manuela Armenat Institute of Historical Geography at the University of Göttingen
  • Christian Bellak University of Applied Sciences North-East Lower Saxony
  • Andreas Lange Institute of Hydrology and Water Ressources Management at the University of Hannover

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58981/bluepapers.2025.2.09

Keywords:

UNESCO World Heritage, energy, recreation and tourism, mining history, integrated management

Abstract

The Upper Harz Water Management System is an outstanding example of effective water management over the centuries. Through historical development and adaptive change over centuries, a multifunctional system has evolved that remains in active use today. Since the site’s UNESCO designation as a World Heritage property in 2010, continuous monitoring and maintenance have been integral to its management. In recent years, challenges arising from climate change and safety-related hydraulic engineering issues, as well as financial constraints, have put the monument under increasing pressure. With the common goal of ensuring that the historic elements and their operation continue to contribute to a wide range of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provide essential public services in the future, changes are necessary. World Heritage management that incorporates the importance of water management is therefore essential, just as, conversely, the World Heritage and the monument play a supporting role and basis for the management of water in the Upper Harz Water Management System.

How to Cite

Armenat, M., Bellak, C., & Lange, A. (2025). Modern Water Management and the Challenges of Climate Change at the World Heritage Property Upper Harz Water Management System. Blue Papers, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.58981/bluepapers.2025.2.09

Published

2025-12-02

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Water Management in World Heritage Properties at a Time of Climate Change

Section

methodologies and case studies

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Manuela Armenat, Christian Bellak, Andreas Lange

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Manuela Armenat, Institute of Historical Geography at the University of Göttingen

Manuela Armenat studied geology and paleontology and obtained a doctorate at the Institute of Historical Geography at the University of Göttingen. Her doctoral research within the DFG-funded Graduate Research Training Group (GRK) 1024 ‘Interdisciplinary Environmental History’ focused on cultural landscape change, flood history, and hydraulic engineering planning history. She served as coordinator of the DFG-GRK 1086, during which time she conducted research on dealing with cultural monuments on and in watercourses within the framework of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Since 2013 she is an employee at the World Heritage Foundation in the Harz Mountains. Since 2019 she is also a deputy managing director of the foundation.

Christian Bellak, University of Applied Sciences North-East Lower Saxony

Christian Bellak studied at the University of Applied Sciences North-East Lower Saxony as a civil engineer specializing in hydraulic engineering, and graduated as Dipl.-Bauingenieur (FH). From 1997–2000, Christian worked in a specialized civil engineering company for international projects, and since 2000 has been employed at Harzwasserwerke GmbH in dam operation. Christian has served as head of the reservoir operation department since 2020.

Andreas Lange, Institute of Hydrology and Water Ressources Management at the University of Hannover

Andreas Lange studied civil engineering and obtained a doctorate at the Institute of Hydrology and Water Ressources Management at the University of Hannover. From 1995 to 2000, Andreas served as a project engineer in an engineering office, completing expert reports on hydrogeology and hydrology. Since 2000, Andreas has been head of Water Resources and, since 2014, an authorized officer of Harzwasserwerke GmbH, Hildesheim.

References

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