Project Partners
SentinelSprings
Project Coordinator
Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)
The CERIS (IST) groundwater research group specializes in hydrogeology, hydrogeochemistry, and modeling for science-based groundwater management. The focus is on groundwater level and quality trend analysis, employing statistical methods for long-term change detection and environmental compliance, including Water Framework Directive reporting.
A significant focus is defining natural groundwater quality baselines through statistical and hydrogeochemical integration, distinguishing natural levels from human impacts. The group also identifies groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs), assessing their vulnerability using field data and spatial analysis. The group expertise extends to aquifer vulnerability mapping, groundwater–surface water interactions, and climate impact assessment on recharge and springs.
These capabilities are crucial for projects like Spring Sentinel, facilitating the identification of climate-sensitive springs and early warning indicators for groundwater system changes.
Project Partners
The Energy and Water Agency
The Energy & Water Agency (EWA) is an organisation of the Government of Malta. Since starting in 2014, our mission has been to ensure the security, sustainability and affordability of energy and water in Malta.
As a governmental agency, we formulate and coordinate the implementation of the Government’s national policies for energy and water, as well as EU legislation for energy and water sustainability. We also act on laws and set in motion policies related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, water demand management, and the security of Malta’s electricity, gas and water supply.
Through extensive modelling and research, we forecast Malta’s energy and water demands and work to ensure energy and water are delivered across the country in an environmentally stable way.
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS)
The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) is a research and advisory institution in the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. The work field of GEUS – geoscientific studies, research, consultancy and geological mapping – primarily covers Denmark and Greenland. GEUS builds knowledge for the management and protection of Danish water resources and the public’s drinking water supply, as well as groundwater impacts on Danish nature and the environment. GEUS participates in the national monitoring of groundwater quality and quantity and publishes an annual status report on the state and trends of groundwater in Denmark.
University of Lodz
Supporting institutions: European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences & MGGP Aero
The University of Lodz (UniLodz) is the largest university in central Poland and a member of the European University of Post-Industrial Cities (UNIC). The diversity of its research is supported by agreements and contracts for scientific cooperation on a global and regional scale, involving almost 400 partners. In the SentinelSprngs project, the most involved will be the staff from the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, which is the largest biological faculties in the country. Leading the effort will be the Department of Biogeography, Palaeoecology and Nature Conservation, whose mission is to conduct cutting-edge research on the processes shaping variability of plants in relation to environmental factors. The project team will also include researchers from the Faculty of Geographical Sciences and the Faculty of Economics and Sociology.
The European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Łódź and MGGP Aero will serve as supporting institutions for the Polish components of the project.
BRGM
The AKS (Karst Aquifers and Socio-Economy) unit of BRGM (French Geological Survey), located in Montpellier, conducts research on the hydrodynamics and hydrochemistry of groundwater in karst systems. Research activities span from in-situ monitoring to the numerical modeling of flow and transport, including the analysis of climate change scenarios. The team has developed several approaches for the numerical modeling of heterogeneous karst aquifers. The unit also aims to develop economic approaches for evaluating programs of measures and resource management policies, optimizing management plans economically, evaluating benefits, comparing approaches (analysis of avoided costs), and developing scenarios for future changes in water usage (prospective analysis). The team engages in interdisciplinary research within the joint research unit G-eau.
University of Torino
ENEA – Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development
ENEA is a public research institute operating in the fields of energy, environment, and sustainable development. It supports innovation and technology transfer to industry, public administration and citizens. ENEA conducts cutting-edge research, provides technical-scientific support to policy-makers, and develops tools and methodologies to tackle climate change, resource efficiency, and environmental protection, with a strong focus on applied science and interdisciplinary collaboration.