UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION International Hydrological Programme (IHP) UNESCO decided to give Priority to Water Resources

UNESCO focus on Groundwater Resources From the Decade to the IHP

UNESCO and IAH “Groundwater Protection” As results of the last cycle of the IHP-V programme ( ) 3 guidebooks will be published in 2002 : 1-Groundwater Contamination Inventory 2-Strategy for early warning groundwater quality monitoring systems 3-Urban Groundwater Pollution

Plan for the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO Phase VI ( )

IHPVI -Examples of Interactions Surface water and ground water Surface water and ground water Atmospheric and terrestrial part of hydrologic circle Atmospheric and terrestrial part of hydrologic circle Fresh water and salt water Fresh water and salt water Global watershed and river reach scales Global watershed and river reach scales Water bodies and aquatic ecosystems Water bodies and aquatic ecosystems Science and policy Science and policy Water and civilization Water and civilization

Theme 1 (T1) Theme 1 (T1)Global Changes and Water Resources Theme 2 (T2) Theme 2 (T2)Integrated Watershed and Aquifer Dynamics Theme 3 (T3) Theme 3 (T3)Land Habitat Hydrology Theme 4 (T4) Theme 4 (T4)Water and Society Theme 5 (T5) Theme 5 (T5)Water education and Training Two cross-cutting programme components: FRIEND (Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data) and HELP (Hydrology for Environment, Life and Policy) have been identified which, through their operational concept, interact with all themes.

Theme 1Global Changes and Water Resources Focal Area 1.1: Global estimation of resources: water supply and water quality (*) (**) Focal Area 1.2: Global estimation of water withdrawals and consumption (**) Focal Area 1.3: Integrated assessment of water resources in the context of global land-based activities and climate change (*)(**)

Theme 2Integrated Watershed and Aquifer Dynamics Focal Area 2.1: Extreme events in land and water resources management (*) Focal Area 2.2: International River Basins and Aquifers (*) Focal Area 2.3: Endorheic Basins (*) Focal Area 2.4: Methodologies for integrated river basin management (*)(**)

Theme 3Land Habitat Hydrology Focal Area 3.1: Drylands (*)(**) Focal Area 3.2: Wetlands (*) Focal Area 3.3: Mountains (*)(**) Focal Area 3.4: Small islands and coastal zones (*) Focal Area 3.5: Urban areas and rural settlements (*)

Theme 4Water and Society Focal Area 4.1: Water, civilization and ethics Focal Area 4.2: Value of water Focal Area 4.3: Water conflicts - prevention and resolution (**) Focal Area 4.4: Human security in water-related disasters and degrading environments (*)(**) Focal Area 4.5: Public awareness raising on water interactions (*)(**)

Theme 5Water Education and Training Focal Area 5.1: Teaching techniques and material development (*)(**) Focal Area 5.2: Continuing education and training for selected target groups (*) Focal Area 5.3: Crossing the digital divide (*) Focal Area 5.4: Institutional development and networking for WET (*)

“Groundwater Component” of the IHP-VI. of the IHP-VI. A total of 45 activities distributed over the first four “Themes”

A particular focus will be given to: -groundwater protection - groundwater natural recharge, -artificial recharge, -groundwater in arid and semi-arid areas -the equitable sharing of transboundary aquifer systems

Eight activities have been identified to have the highest priority in IHP-VI

1-Guidelines for delineation of protection zones around public groundwater supplies and management policy. 2-Development of groundwater policy and management for wetlands protection and biodiversity conservation.

Effects of global changes on groundwater recharge, especially in arid and semi-arid regions in relation to water resources management. Methodologies for risk assessment of wastewater re-use on groundwater quality.

Development of methodology (data acquisition and analysis) for studying responses of aquifers to extreme hydrological events.Development of methodology (data acquisition and analysis) for studying responses of aquifers to extreme hydrological events. Study of the dynamics of groundwater flow and chemistry in closed basins including long-term effects, especially in arid zones.Study of the dynamics of groundwater flow and chemistry in closed basins including long-term effects, especially in arid zones.

Evaluation of the impact of land-based sources of pollution on coastal zone resources. Methodology for enhancing communication between water specialist, decision makers and communities to strengthen public participation in groundwater protection.

IHP VI initiatives’  International Groundwater Resources Assessment Center, IGRAC (UNESCO-WMO)  Joint International Isotopes in Hydrology Programme, JIIHP (UNESCO - IAEA)  Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management, ISARM (IAH- UNESCO-FAO- UNECE)  Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy, HELP (UNESCO-WMO)

J oint I nternational I sotopes in H ydrology P rogram: Harnessing Synergy Between IAEA and UNESCO/IHP

The aim of the joint IAEA-UNESCO/JIIHP initiative is to facilitate the integration of isotopes in hydrological practices through: -development of tools for better understanding of specific hydrological processes and improving assessment, development and management of water resources; -support of national, regional and international programmes in water resources; -incorporation of isotope hydrology as part of hydrological curricula in universities worldwide; and -integration of isotopic data in hydrological databases at national, regional and global scales.

 Catchments are nominated by national institutions, based on HELP catchment criteria in a range of bio-climatic zones, socio-economic / cultural activities, catchments representative of a wider region CATCHMENTS ( up to km²) WORLDWIDE  To deliver social, economic and environmental benefit to stakeholders through sustainable and appropriate use of water by directing hydrological science towards improved integrated catchment management basins HELP Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy IAEA

The World Freshwater Assessment Programme, is a joint coordinated initiative of the United Nations system; The WWAP aims to assess the state of the World’s Freshwater Resources The World Water Assessment Programme Indices and Indicators for Measuring Ground Water Condition and Vulnerability: Ground Water Quantity

At ACC/ SWR meeting in Tokyo (April, 2001) UNESCO was given the coordinating role for development of groundwater resources indicators.. Ground water indicators should provide diagnostics to evaluate ground water condition and vulnerability and provide a means to appraise the ground water situation.

Fostering a long-term perspective to the management of ground water resources is perhaps the most important attribute to the concept of ground water sustainability. So, how can we view ground water sustainability? Conceptually, looking at the ground water system through time, a long-term approach to sustainability may involve frequent temporary withdrawals from ground water storage that are balanced by intervening additions to ground-water storage. However, the concept of ground-water sustainability and its application to real situations is multifaceted and complex. Discussions of groundwater sustainability need to focus on the ability of the resource to produce key services (including environmental services) plus the economic costs and impacts on equitable access that loss of those services would entail.