Bundesanstalt fuer Gewaesserkunde

Their core work

The Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BfG) is Germany's federal research institute for hydrology, water ecology, and water quality, providing scientific advice to the German federal government on all water-related matters. In H2020, they contribute expertise in hydrological risk modelling, freshwater ecosystem restoration, and the fate and transport of pollutants — particularly plastics and persistent chemicals — in river and marine systems. Their work bridges environmental monitoring science with practical policy support for water management across Europe.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

BfG's early H2020 work (2015–2019) centred on climate-driven hydrological risk — predicting floods and droughts and shaping adaptation strategies (IMPREX), plus contributing to pan-European water research infrastructure planning (DANUBIUS-PP). From 2021 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward pollution and ecosystem health: tracking plastics in waterways, tackling PFAS contamination, and restoring degraded freshwater ecosystems under the European Green Deal umbrella. The trajectory shows a clear move from climate risk prediction toward hands-on environmental remediation and pollution science.

BfG is increasingly positioned at the intersection of pollution science (plastics, PFAS) and nature-based restoration, making them a strong partner for any Green Deal-aligned water project.

How they like to work

BfG participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator, which is typical for a government research institute that provides specialized scientific input rather than managing large projects. With 140 unique partners across 26 countries from just 5 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia — averaging 28 partners per project. This means they are well-connected and experienced in multi-national collaboration, but prospective partners should expect to engage them as a technical contributor rather than a project driver.

Despite only 5 projects, BfG has built connections with 140 distinct partners across 26 countries, reflecting their participation in very large European consortia. Their network spans nearly all of Europe, with particular strength in water and environmental research communities.

What sets them apart

BfG is a federal government research institute, which gives it a direct link to German water policy and regulatory frameworks — something universities and private labs cannot offer. Their combination of hydrological modelling, pollution tracking, and ecosystem science in a single institution makes them a rare one-stop partner for projects spanning the full water cycle. For consortium builders, BfG brings both deep technical capability and the credibility of a national authority in water science.

Highlights from their portfolio

• LABPLAS
  Their largest H2020 contribution (EUR 466K), tackling the high-profile issue of land-based plastic pollution pathways into the sea with advanced dispersion modelling.
• MERLIN
  A flagship European Green Deal project on large-scale freshwater ecosystem restoration, signalling BfG's alignment with EU policy priorities through 2026.
• IMPREX
  Their earliest H2020 project, addressing hydrological extremes prediction — a topic of growing urgency given recent European flood and drought events.