News
The newly completed hydraulic simulations of Monoštorski rit offer the first visual insight into the expected water dynamics once the planned water management interventions, including the construction of the North Canal, are in place. Rather than representing current field conditions, the simulations show the projected hydrodynamic situation under a functioning canal system designed to reintroduce controlled flooding to this protected wetland area.
The model, developed by the Institute for Water Management “Jaroslav Černi” and Vojvodinašume (VSUME), is based on a digital terrain model and LiDAR data, enabling the detailed mapping of water extent, flow directions, and retention duration across the wetland network. The simulations clearly illustrate the difference between the current non-functional system and the restored configuration, in which seasonal inundation can support wetland and floodplain forest habitats again.
The results show that flooding Monoštorski rit is only possible once the North Canal has been constructed and is being operated in combination with an active sluice management regime. For more than five decades, the natural dynamics of this area have been disrupted by flood-control infrastructure, resulting in the loss of water circulation that is essential for maintaining the floodplain’s ecological conditions.
In the visualisations, blue areas indicate flooded zones, darker shades represent longer water retention and the red line marks the planned route of the North Canal.
These simulations provide an important analytical basis for restoring the flood regime and revitalising the canal network at Monoštorski rit as part of the LIFE RESTORE for MDD project.
