Anthropogenic Trace Compounds (ATCs) that continuously grow in numbers and concentrations are an emerging issue for water quality in both natural and technical environments. The complex web of exposure pathways as well as the variety in the chemical structure and potency of ATCs represents immense challenges for future research and policy initiatives. This review summarizes current trends and identifies knowledge gaps in innovative, effective monitoring and management strategies while addressing the research questions concerning ATC occurrence, fate, detection and toxicity. We highlight the progressing sensitivity of chemical analytics and the challenges in harmonization of sampling protocols and methods, as well as the need for ATC indicator substances to enable cross-national valid monitoring routine. Secondly, the status quo in ecotoxicology is described to advocate for a better implementation of long-term tests, to address toxicity on community and environmental as well as on human-health levels, and to adapt various test levels and endpoints. Moreover, we discuss potential sources of ATCs and the current removal efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to indicate the most effective places and elimination strategies. Knowledge gaps in transport and/or detainment of ATCs through their passage in surface waters and groundwaters are further emphasized in relation to their physico-chemical properties, abiotic conditions and biological interactions in order to highlight fundamental research needs. Finally, we demonstrate the importance and remaining challenges of an appropriate ATC risk assessment since this will greatly assist in identifying the most urgent calls for action, in selecting the most promising measures, and in evaluating the success of implemented management strategies.

Extreme, short-duration fluctuations caused by storage hydropower plant discharges or ‘hydropeaking’ occur when hydropower is used to cover the peak electrical loading conditions of a power network. The overall effects of hydropeaking can result in serious disturbances to the hydrologic regime, river morphology and the ecological condition of a river. In this study a transient, fuzzy logic based two-dimensional fish habitat model was used to investigate the stranding risk to juvenile European grayling (Thymallus thymallus) corresponding to different river morphologies. The stranding risk was simulated using two 24 hour discharge hydrographs in two alpine gravel bed river reaches. Both reaches were in close proximity to the hydropower plant outlet and were chosen due to their starkly contrasting morphological features. Spatially distributed stranding risk was determined based on a multi-step procedure which took into account the stationary habitat suitability, critical dewatering rates and flow depths. Although the number of reaches used in the investigation was limited in scope, clear distinctions with respect to the stranding risk were found. The reach with wider, flatter cross sections had a larger amount of stranding risk areas as compared to the reach with a steeply incised channel form. Stranding risk was found to be related to a specific set of changes in the discharge than to a particular rate of change or magnitude of the flow fluctuations. The temporal distribution of stranding risk was found to be almost identical for both reaches.