H11H-01 INVITED
The International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO
UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is the only intergovernmental scientific program of the UN system on freshwater having a global scope. Since its inception in 1975, IHP has been at the forefront of international cooperation on water research and management, bringing together scientists, engineers, policy- makers, managers, and stakeholders. Currently there are over 160 National Committees for the IHP, including the US. During six successive phases, IHP has evolved into a transdisciplinary, action-oriented and policy- relevant program with a strong scientific core responding to the needs of the Member States. This presentation will address the concepts underpinning the strategic plan of the seventh phase of IHP (2008-2013) and the proposed lines of action. Adaptation to the impacts of global changes on river basins and aquifer systems is a theme central to this phase. Global changes associated with climate, demographic factors and modifications in land use, among other factors, can have significant impacts on the hydrological cycle and on water resources. Due to the global character of such changes, its potential interaction with the hydrological cycle, and the transboundary nature of many river basins and aquifers, international cooperation is essential to improve our understanding and to efficiently address the challenges posed to water resources. During IHP-VII, particularly stressed and/or vulnerable areas (i.e. arid and semi-arid regions, the Polar regions, glaciated mountainous, urban areas and coastal regions) will be assessed, with the aim of supporting the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies by Member States and policies based on institutional synergies to diminish stresses on water resources. Strengthening water governance for sustainability is another thematic concentration, emphasizing the need of society to be able to respond adequately to the critical freshwater challenges. Lessons learned from the cross-cutting projects FRIEND (Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data Programme) and HELP (Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy Programme) and the supporting efforts from the network of water-related centers under the auspices of UNESCO, such as the International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC) based in The Netherlands and the International Centre for Water and Hazard Risk Management (ICHARM) based in Japan will contribute key elements to the studies. Opportunities for collaboration with the American scientific community will be highlighted. http://www.unesco.org/water/ihp/
H11H-02
United States contributions to international hydrology and the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme
The combination of climate change, population growth, and growing use of irrigated agriculture has resulted in increased stress on water resources around the world. The problem is worsened with the expansion of population centers in water-scarce regions, for example in the southwestern United States, central Mexico, along the Mediterranean coast of Africa, southern India, and southeast Australia. As such, water has emerged as a global issue that requires international cooperation on assessment, research, and management. Entities such as the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP) focus activities on water research, water resources management, education, and capacity-building. The U.S. National Committee for UNESCO IHP, reorganized in 2006, includes members of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and external organizations with expertise in hydrology and hydraulics. The responsibilities of the U.S. National Committee for IHP are to: provide programmatic advice to IHP; assist in supporting other UNESCO water resources activities; represent U.S. domestic and international water activities to UNESCO; support IHP training, research, and capacity building efforts from a U.S. perspective; recommend and support the participation of other U.S. water programs in the IHP; and advise the U.S. Government on its participation in UNESCO and the IHP. Working through its membership, the U.S. National Committee for UNESCO IHP seeks to build improved relationships and involve and provide opportunities to the U.S. hydrological community. http://water.usgs.gov/nrp/IHP
H11H-03 INVITED
HELP, Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy
HELP is a joint UNESCO/WMO program designed to establish a global network of catchments to improve the links between hydrology and the needs of society. It is a cross cutting program of the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme and contributes to the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), and the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme of WMO. HELP provides a framework within catchments for scientists, stakeholders, managers, law and policy experts to come together to address locally defined "water related issues". HELP provides a platform for sharing experiences across an international network of catchments The greatest pressure on freshwater resources has been identified as the continued escalation of the global population. Climate variability and potential climate change further exacerbate water scarcity. At the same time, degradation in water quality is causing a critical reduction in the amount of fresh water available for potable, agricultural and industrial use. However, despite this plethora of high profile activities no international research program in hydrology has been forthcoming which would address key water resource issues in the field and integrate them with policy and management needs. HELP is changing this by with a new approach to integrated catchment management. Examples of HELP activities in North America are summarized.
H11H-04 INVITED
International Center for Integrated Water Resources Management (ICIWRM)
The USACE Institute of Water Resources and the University of Arizona have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote the creation of an International Center for Integrated Water Resources Management (ICIWRM) that will, upon completion, create a virtual teaching and research center with academic institutions, government agencies and NGOs for integrated water resources management, interdisciplinary scientific research, and capacity-building/development for developing and emerging countries; and post-disaster/conflict nations and regions. Some of the topics in which the Center will be involved include: integrated water resources management and sustainable development in arid and semi-arid zones, infrastructure development and related engineering design standards and procedures, capacity building, development and training, water policy, governance and institutional aspects, water security, including within the context of the Millennium Development Goals. The new Center will also be working with multilateral organizations such as the UNESCO International Hydrology Program.
H11H-05 INVITED
HydroSHEDS: A global comprehensive hydrographic dataset
The Hydrological data and maps based on SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales (HydroSHEDS) is an innovative product that, for the first time, provides hydrographic information in a consistent and comprehensive format for regional and global-scale applications. HydroSHEDS offers a suite of geo-referenced data sets, including stream networks, watershed boundaries, drainage directions, and ancillary data layers such as flow accumulations, distances, and river topology information. The goal of developing HydroSHEDS was to generate key data layers to support regional and global watershed analyses, hydrological modeling, and freshwater conservation planning at a quality, resolution and extent that had previously been unachievable. Available resolutions range from 3 arc-second (approx. 90 meters at the equator) to 5 minute (approx. 10 km at the equator) with seamless near-global extent. HydroSHEDS is derived from elevation data of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) at 3 arc-second resolution. The original SRTM data have been hydrologically conditioned using a sequence of automated procedures. Existing methods of data improvement and newly developed algorithms have been applied, including void filling, filtering, stream burning, and upscaling techniques. Manual corrections were made where necessary. Preliminary quality assessments indicate that the accuracy of HydroSHEDS significantly exceeds that of existing global watershed and river maps. HydroSHEDS was developed by the Conservation Science Program of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Center for Environmental Systems Research (CESR) of the University of Kassel, Germany. http://www.worldwildlife.org/freshwater/hydrosheds.cfm
H11H-06 INVITED
UNESCO's G-WADI Program - Developing and Delivering Tools for Improved Water Management in Semi-arid and Arid Lands
UNESCO's Water and Development Information for Arid Lands - A Global Network (G-WADI) aims to strengthen the capacity to manage the water resources of arid and semi-arid areas around the globe through a network of international and regional cooperation. Six centers, including SAHRA headquartered at the University of Arizona and CHRS at UC-Irvine, are cooperating to improve water resource management by sharing knowledge and tools. Specific objectives include: improved understanding of the special characteristics of hydrological systems and water management needs in arid areas, through shared data and experiences; capacity building of individuals and institutions; raising awareness of advanced technologies for data provision, data assimilation, and system analysis; and promoting integrated basin management and the use of appropriate decision support tools. SAHRA coordinates G-WADI's information dissemination via G-WADI's web site and publications. Web-based resources include Global Water News Watch and the subscription service, Water News Tracker, plus access to remotely sensed precipitation data from HyDIS. Information on use of isotopes and chemical tracers is also featured. Materials and outcomes from various workshops and short courses on modeling, water harvesting, and impacts of climate change also are provided. While the intent is to benefit water resource managers in semi- arid and arid developing countries, the collaboration among international water centers, and perspectives and traditional knowledge gained from users, has benefitted U.S. researchers in many ways. http://www.gwadi.org/
H11H-07 INVITED
U.S. Contributions to Understanding Major Transformations of the Global Water System and World Water Resource Base
The water cycle figures prominently in the study of global change and creates an important integrating theme for current and future studies of the Earth system. In addition to greenhouse warming and concerns about an accelerated hydrologic cycle, several other anthropogenic factors interact with the water cycle directly and modify the physics, chemistry, biology, and social systems associated with fresh water. Prominent among these factors are widespread land cover change, urbanization, industrial activities, plus a host of hydraulic engineering schemes that optimize water resource access and use, including dam and reservoir construction, irrigated agriculture, and interbasin transfers. These factors yield a broad spectrum of impacts, distorting natural river flow and thermal regimes, polluting fresh water, destroying aquatic habitat, and creating substantial challenges to the sustainability of world water resources and the inland aquatic ecosystems, which are important to human well- being. A rich history of research at the local scale already demonstrates the clear impact of multiple natural and anthropogenic factors in shaping the hydrologic environment. Evidence now shows that humans are rapidly embedding themselves into the basic character of the water cycle over much broader domains. The collective significance of such transformation of a basic element of the Earth system, however, remains an open question. This presentation provides a broad overview of the nature of these new challenges, both from a scientific and technological point of view. It also provides a brief summary of the major themes that support the science agenda of the Global Water System Project, as part of the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP), and links to the United Nations interest in water resource assessment, management, and training.
H11H-08
US scientific contributions to the water resources program of the International Atomic Energy Agency
It is well recognized that a better understanding of the water cycle and increased availability of hydrological information for surface and groundwater resources are key factors in the ability to sustainably manage water resources. Since its inception in 1957, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has played a critical role in developing isotope applications for hydrology and building scientific capacity in developing countries. Through an active technical cooperation program with a funding of nearly $8M per biennium, the IAEA assists developing countries in using isotope techniques for the assessment and monitoring of water resources, in particular, groundwater resources. In addition, substantial human resources and institutional capacity are built through the provision of training and appropriate equipment for monitoring. The water resources program of the IAEA is implemented with the support of a number of experts and the United States contributes extensively to this program. Although spanning the entire 50 year history of the IAEA, the contribution of US scientists, and particularly those from the US Geological Survey, has been substantial over the past 10 years. These contributions have included assistance in technical cooperation projects in Africa, Latin America and Asia, as well as internationally coordinated research projects in vadose zone hydrology, surface water – groundwater interactions, and regional aquifer studies. In Ethiopia, a national groundwater assessment program was formulated and a computer database was provided to manage hydrological information. A robust program of capacity building in cooperation with the USGS and Argonne National Laboratory has provided training to a number of IAEA-sponsored candidates from Africa and Latin America. This paper will describe the objectives and results of some of these cooperative efforts.