About DCA - Danish Coastal Authority
The Danish Coastal Authority (Kystdirektoratet) is the official coastal government agency - a division of The Danish Ministry of the Environment and Gender Equality and part of The Environmental Protection Agency. It is as such also adviser for The Danish Minister of the Environment.
The Danish Coastal Authority employs approximately 90 individuals. This workforce includes a variety of professional groups: engineers, surveyors, legal advisors, geologists, biologists, administrative and service personnel.
The Danish Coastal Authority covers all of Denmark’s 7,300 km of coastline, managing the governmental socio-economic interests within the field of coastal protection. The offices is located in Lemvig in Western Jutland. The history of the Danish Coastal Authority dates from as far back as 1868.
The Danish Coastal Authority advise and cooperate with citizens, associations, companies and authorities all over the country, and aim to work nationally and internationally by sharing expertise and by developing joint project for example within the EU.
About the case study
The Thorsminde and Hvide Sande drainage sluices were built in 1870 and 1931, respectively. Both sluices have outdated hard- and software systems, making maintenance and climate adaptation increasingly difficult.
The sluices is situated behind a harbour entrance, and normal harbour activities influences the possibilities to drain the fjords – e.g. dredging, navigation etc. can be affected by the current created by the sluices.
Due to climate change, the capacity to drain enough water from the fjords to maintain the water level, will be reduced.
The sluices are a barrier in the fish migration between the fjord and sea. Especially the migration of the European whitefish and the allis head has to be considered when operating the drainage sluice.
Aim and goal of the case study
The purpose of the case are to replace and upgrade operational systems and develop a data-driven automated approach, in order to ensure future safe and reliable sluice operation at all times as well as to improve sluice capacity ad sustainably support the ecosystems of the fjords and catchment areas.
In the software development, the case study will explore the use of a mathematical model - such as formal methods. The model/method is expected to describe each single requirement in operating the sluices as well as the needed conditions.
Contribution to STORM_SAFE
The Danish Coastal Authority expect to get valuable knowledge, by learning from other North Sea region partners experiences. Especially with software that has reached end-of-life, it is important to get ideas on how to approach the many tasks and the overall project.
The sluices are perhaps small constructions, but the sluice operation provides a huge complexity. This is something that universities can help to solve with their extensive expertise and knowledge.