The third consortium meeting of the WATERGRID project took place in Slovakia, bringing together 23 partners from across Europe. The programme also included a visit to Bioclimate Park Drienová, one of the project’s demonstration sites.
On 29 September 2026, project partners met in Rajecké Teplice to review progress made during the first year of the project and discuss the next steps in modelling, monitoring and implementing smart water management solutions. The meeting also explored opportunities for collaboration with the NBS4Drought project, which similarly focuses on strengthening landscape resilience to drought.
One of the highlights of the following day was a visit to Bioclimate Park Drienová, where we introduced partners to practical examples of nature-based water retention measures. Ponds, wetlands, small water bodies, retention basins and vegetation work together as a system that slows down rainwater runoff, supports infiltration into the soil and helps replenish groundwater resources.
Partners also visited the newly installed weather station and discussed how regular monitoring of weather conditions and rainfall can help us better understand how water moves through the landscape and how different water retention measures perform. The collected data will also play an important role in planning and evaluating future WATERGRID activities.
We also presented the new landscape terraces planned as part of the WATERGRID project. Terracing is a traditional land management practice that has been used for centuries to cultivate sloping landscapes while protecting soil from erosion. Today, this approach offers valuable inspiration for adapting to climate change. By slowing down surface runoff, terraces help retain rainwater where it falls, encourage infiltration into the soil and reduce erosion during heavy rainfall. At Bioclimatic Park Drienová, the planned terraces will build on this traditional knowledge, demonstrating how time-tested practices can be combined with modern monitoring to improve water retention and strengthen landscape resilience.
The park visit also offered a chance to experience biodiversity in action, showing how thoughtful landscape management can create a healthy environment for plants, wildlife and people alike. The European partners particularly enjoyed the hands-on experience, with fresh fruit picked straight from the trees, friendly alpacas and even the unexpected arrival of a newborn Cameroon sheep during their visit. The little lamb quickly earned the nickname Watersheep!
In their social media posts, international partners particularly appreciated the opportunity to see these nature-based solutions in action and learn about their potential to reduce the impacts of drought. The UK-based project coordinator, Westcountry Rivers Trust, highlighted that every landscape needs solutions tailored to its local conditions. The team also plans to draw on the experience gained during the visit when testing measures in the River Tamar catchment in the UK.
The meeting highlighted the value of international cooperation and sharing practical experience. In the next phase of WATERGRID, the focus will shift towards implementing and monitoring measures at the demonstration sites, helping to improve water management and strengthen the climate resilience of our landscapes.
