Mojtaba Shafiei
Post Doctor
(+47) 412 48 742
mojtaba.shafiei@nibio.no
Place
Ås O43
Visiting address
Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås
Attachments
Curriculum VitaeBiography
A highly skilled researcher with more than 10 years of experience in diverse projects—from hydrological modelling to water resources management—spanning both research and consulting.
My main interests and areas of expertise are:
-
(Agro/eco) hydrological modelling and water accounting
-
Climate adaptation and nature-based solutions (NBS)
-
Nexus studies and composite indicator development
-
Sustainability assessment and strategic planning
-
Environmental and human impact assessment
My passion for sustainability and the science–policy–practice nexus also drives me to initiate and engage in capacity-building programs and initiatives that make a positive impact both in the workplace and in society at large.
At NIBIO, my research focuses on simulating catchment–nature-based solutions (NBS) interactions using SWAT+, and on developing hydrological assessment frameworks to optimize climate adaptation measures within nationally funded projects and Horizon Europe projects.
Abstract
Small retention ponds are increasingly recognised as effective nature-based solutions for managing hydrological extremes in Norway’s agricultural catchments. Typically located in upper catchment areas or at the forest–agriculture interface, these ponds temporarily store runoff during intense rainfall events and snowmelt. In addition to flood mitigation, they provide important co-benefits by reducing soil erosion and sediment transport and by protecting agricultural drainage systems from erosion and overflow during extreme events, thereby supporting long-term soil productivity. Although individual storage volumes are limited, their cumulative impact at the catchment scale can be substantial when retention ponds are strategically distributed across the landscape. This study investigates the potential effects of small retention ponds using process-based hydrological modelling with SWAT+ to support catchment-scale climate adaptation planning in a Norwegian agricultural catchment. SWAT+ enables an improved representation of hydrological connectivity between managed landscapes and the stream network through its flexible spatial structure and rule-based management algorithms. The model is calibrated using a constraint-based approach that integrates both soft and hard data to represent streamflow and sediment dynamics in the Lierelva catchment. Multiple retention ponds are implemented to assess their cumulative effects on streamflow and sediment transport. Finally, the study discusses key challenges associated with modelling catchment–NBS interactions using SWAT+.
Authors
Mojtaba Shafiei Mohammad Gharesifard Brian Thomas Nazimul Islam Stephan Dietrich Hamidreza Mosaffa Matjaž Mikoš Taha Ouarda Seyedeh Simin Mirhashemi Dehkordi Zahra Abdollahi Thom Bogaard Salvatore GrimaldiAbstract
Water plays a central connecting role within the climate system, linking meteorological, hydrological, and earth system processes with societal dimensions such as water resource demands and risks associated with pollution, droughts, and floods. Global water challenges are addressed through multiple international agendas related to sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity, and water security. While these agendas share broadly aligned objectives, they differ in scope, scale, and modes of operationalization. Together, they shape how scientific knowledge is mobilized, policies are formulated, and actions are implemented. As the 2030 Agenda approaches its conclusion, there is a growing need to review and map global water agendas in order to better understand their interactions and support more coherent responses to complex water challenges. Rather than viewing global water agendas as parallel and independent efforts, they can be understood as interconnected learning pathways through which shared objectives, knowledge, and practical experience evolve over time. From this perspective, synergies emerge across these learning pathways through reflection, coordination, and exchange between science, policy, and practice. Clarifying how such synergies can be recognized, supported, and strengthened is therefore essential for advancing more integrated and impactful responses to global water challenges. The Strategic UN Synergy Working Group (SUN) operates within the IAHS HELPING Science for Solutions Decade (2023–2032) and aims to strengthen the contribution of hydrological science to international policy processes and practical implementation programmes. Guided by the HELPING paradigm, SUN facilitates bottom-up engagement, open science, and co-creation principles to support learning across scales and the translation of hydrological knowledge into policy and action. This contribution introduces the vision, structure, and core activities of the SUN Working Group, with a focus on understanding global water agendas and supporting synergies through a science–policy–practice approach. SUN builds on the understanding of global water agendas as interconnected learning pathways, and we will illustrate how coordinated learning pathways can help advance more coherent, integrated, and future-oriented global water agenda.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered