Cooling water discharge guidelines in the Netherlands: Recent developments through advanced 3D modelling

Abstract

The average temperature rise of river Rhine at the border with Germany was found to be 3.3°C during the last 100 years, caused by canalisation, narrowing of the river bed, expending use of industrial cooling water and the overall temperature increase due to climate change. During summer, the background river water temperature of the rivers Rhine and Meuse passing the Dutch border rises up to 26-28°C. In fact, in the Netherlands a temperature drop in the range of 1-2,5°C is measured before the river water is discharged in the North Sea despite all heat discharges during its course to the sea.