IAHS News
IAHS Ultimate Frisbee Tournament
In these times of scientific controversy on the issue of scales in hydrology, the IAHS Ultimate Frisbee tournament held during the 2015 IUGG General Assembly in Prague was expected to shed new light on this debate, by pitching downscalers against upscalers. Twenty players took part in the match on the field of the Vyšehrad close to the Congress Centre.
There was no observation round in this match and the upscalers quickly took the advantage after a few minutes. Their very detailed representation of the field thanks to a 10 cm resolution LiDAR data and to drone airborne measurements was very helpful to identify the best trajectories by applying least-energy principles. In contrast, the downscalers started with a large 10x10 km2 scale and it took some time for them to adapt to the actual limits of the field and to find the best pathways to score. After trying a few statistical approaches, they opted for a deterministic one and managed to come back to 4 goals to 5. This was the time the upscalers chose to define efficient adaptation strategies, which resulted in five new successive goals. The golden Frisbee did not change the outcome of the match and the upscalers won.
After the match, the downscalers complained that they did not have recent enough data to cope with extreme situations. A more detailed analysis of the statistical parameters of the match showed that the team of upscalers was in fact a mix of upscalers and downscalers, and that the variety of experiences and points of view within the team strongly contributed to finding efficient solutions. This is a matter for thought before the next Ultimate Frisbee game planned in two years’ time in South Africa at the next IUGG Assembly.
The participants of the Ultimate Frisbee game. The downscalers team: G. di Baldassare, A. Castellarin, J. Fabre, C. Furusho, S. Grimaldi, P. Hublart, F. Raynaud, A. Viglione, and M. Zappa. The upscalers team: H. Aksoy, M. Courbariaux, R. A. Montero, F. Neugirg, I. Pechlivanidis, C. Perrin, P. Pilon, D. Ruelland, A. Rücker, and G. Thirel.
The Prague Statement
A Need for Action to Develop Water Resources Management Systems
by the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
We, the delegates to the conference of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences in Prague, June 20-26, 2015 are deeply concerned by the water problems humanity is experiencing with increasing frequency and severity and express the following concerns and recommendations. The hydrosphere is experiencing a global water crisis caused by uneven freshwater availability in space and time, overexploitation, environmental degradation and the more frequent occurrence of floods and droughts.
We call upon all local, regional and national governments and urge them to develop effective solutions to the water crisis by developing effective water resources management systems. In order to address problems of freshwater availability and supply, the full spectrum of technical, organisational, economic, political, legal and social approaches should be considered, and implemented as needed. In order to address flood risks, a holistic approach of integrated flood risk management should be adopted that considers all phases of the disaster cycle – mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
We also call upon members of the international scientific community and urge them to develop practical and implementable methods and techniques to support adaptation of water resources management systems to the current and future challenges. Adaptation of water resources management systems should build on observed evidence and rigorous system understanding. An improved understanding of hydrological processes is therefore needed, in particular at the local scale, and put into the context of broader river basin and groundwater issues.
Finally, we call upon the research funding agencies at both national and international levels and urge them to provide funding that is commensurate with the challenges of the global water crisis. Enhanced funding is needed to improve the understanding of hydrological processes at all scales. Fundamental research is equally important as applied research, and is equally likely to become societally relevant, albeit over longer time scales.
Adopted by acclamation, in the city of Prague, Czech Republic, on this 26th day of June 2015.
IUGG IAHS Frisbee Match
The IAHS frisbee match took place this morning pitching upscaler hydrological modellers against downscalers. A well fought match was eventually won by the upscalers 11-4.
More photos are available on the IAHS facebook page:
IAHS at IUGG 2015 Prague Assembly
IUGG 2015 is fast approaching (June 22nd - July 2nd). IAHS will have a presence on the IUGG booth so please come along to meet us and buy a ticket for the IAHS dinner on Friday 26th June (limited availability).
During the IUGG General Assembly elections will take place for officers of IAHS and the Commissions. See www.iugg2015prague.com/ for the programme and additional information. A ballot paper has been drawn up for the 55 positions who will be elected by National Representatives and is available on the IAHS 2015 Elections page where you will find all the election information.
There are two candidates for the post of President-elect of the Association. An IAHS administrative plenary will take place at the Prague Assembly, in Forum Hall, on Tuesday 23rd June, from 12:15 where the two candidates will take the floor and present their vision.
Elections results will be announced during the IAHS Plenary on Friday 26 June and on iahs.info. During the plenary session prizes will be presented for the International Hydrology prizes (Dooge medal and Volker medal) and the Tison award (see announcement). We celebrate the end of the first biennium in the Panta Rhei decade and welcome the transition to the new Working Group. During the week, meetings will take place for some of the 10 IAHS commissions.
On a fun note we look forward to the traditional frisbee contest where the delegates demonstrate their physical skills in an international competition.
The full scientific programme is available and the papers selected for three IAHS symposia at IUGG2015 are now available open access on the PIAHS website: JS1 (Vol. 369), HS01 (Vol. 370) and HS02 (Vol. 371).
New eBook: The Value of Water Monitoring
There is a solution – you understand the value of water monitoring but need additional, sustainable funding. Know that you are not alone. The gap between water monitoring capability and the rapidly evolving need for evidence-based policies, planning, and engineering design is growing worldwide. Learn how to form persuasive arguments that are sensitive to local politics and priorities to address this deficit in funding. The benefits of hydrological information DO vastly outweigh investments in water monitoring.
This free resource can help water resource professionals, government agencies, private enterprises, and citizens around the world frame locally meaningful discussions on how to best prepare for a secure water future. Here are some highlights:
- The universal value of water – social, economic & environmental benefits
- The cost of ignorance – adverse, unwanted outcomes
- The value of establishing relevance & trust – actionable information from data
- The economics of monitoring – benefit/cost analyses
- Tips for success in your quest for more funding
Stu Hamilton was a senior hydrometric technologist with Water Survey Canada for nearly 30 years and managed the operations of 500+ monitoring stations. Today, Stu is Senior Hydrologist at Aquatic Informatics and serves as an expert volunteer with the WMO, ISO, NASH, and OGC.
Read Stu’s new eBook The Value of Water Monitoring today and discover winning strategies to help you close the funding gap for your water monitoring program.
Aquatic Informatics
1 (877) 870-2782 or 1 (604) 873-2782
[email protected]
Video: AQUARIUS in 3 minutes
Sent to you by the IAHS, on behalf of Aquatic Informatics.
This is not an endorsement of the eBook or the AQUARIUS water data management system.
© Copyright 2015 Aquatic Informatics Inc. 1111 – 2400 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC, V6E 4M3
HIC 2016 12th International Conference on Hydroinformatics
“Smart Water for the Future”
HIC is a well-established series of Hydroinformatics conferences started in the early nineties. It is supported by three world-leading international organizations, IAHR (International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research), IAHS (International Association of Hydrological Sciences) and IWA International Water Association).
August 21-26, 2016
Songdo Convensia, Incheon, Korea
Abstract submission Sept 30 2015
UNESCO International Symposium on Scientific, Technological and Policy Innovations for Improved Water Quality Monitoring
UNESCO International Symposium on Scientific, Technological and Policy Innovations for Improved Water Quality Monitoring
to be held in Kyoto-Otsu, Japan, from 15-17 July 2015.
The meeting focuses on three main objectives:
1. Facilitating scientific discussion, knowledge exchange and collaboration among experts and stakeholders.
2. Establishing a state-of-the-art of scientific research, methodologies, tools, technologies, and policy approaches on water quality and wastewater monitoring.
3. Collecting practical cases of this stocktaking on water quality monitoring as a demonstration of the implementation of these tools and approaches.
Contribution proposals may be submitted until 10-12 June for good contributions.
More information about the meeting in English and French are available on the UNESCO website:
and is directly accessible from the UNESCO webpage on “Water Security”
Watch the On-Demand Webinar: Securing More Funding for Water Monitoring
As a friend of the IAHS, you are invited to watch the on-demand webinar: Securing More Funding for Water Monitoring. Discover proven techniques and strategies that have achieved increased funding.
Ryan Muller and Peter Evans from the Interstate Council on Water Policy (ICWP) share how they secured US$7.2 million in additional funding for USGS stream gauging over the past two fiscal years. They outline successful strategies that can be scaled to any size funding campaign. Aquatic Informatics Senior Hydrologist Stu Hamilton highlights 7 proven tactics to quantify and qualify the value of your water monitoring and discusses how to build a winning cost/benefit business case for sustainable funding.
WATCH NOW
1-Hour Webinar Highlights:
- Inside look at ICWP funding strategies that work
- Funding success: state + national case studies
- 7 universal truths to success for any scale funding effort
- Review of published cost/benefit industry studies
Don't miss this complimentary web presentation – watch the webinar here! Studies show the benefits of hydrological information vastly outweigh investments in water monitoring. Learn how to form persuasive arguments to get that additional funding.
Aquatic Informatics
1 (877) 870-2782 or 1 (604) 873-2782
[email protected]
Sent to you by the IAHS, on behalf of Aquatic Informatics.
This is not an endorsement of the webinar or the AQUARIUS water data management system.
© Copyright 2015 Aquatic Informatics Inc. 1111 – 2400 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC, V6E 4M3
Remote Sensing and GIS for Hydrology and Water Resources: IAHS Publ. 368 now available.
Remote Sensing and GIS for Hydrology and Water Resources: IAHS Publ. 368 now available.
Editor: YANGBO CHEN
Co-Editors: CHRISTOPHER NEALE, IAN CLUCKIE, Z. SU, JIANZHONG ZHOU, QIANG HUANG, ZONGXUE XU
IAHS Publ. 368 (2015) ISBN 978-1-907161-46-9, 484 + xii pp. Price £110.00
Available both online open access as PIAHS vol. 368, and to purchase as a Red Book, vol. 368.
This volume collects together 78 peer-reviewed papers presented at the 3rd Remote Sensing and Hydrology Symposium and the 3rd International Conference of GIS/RS in Hydrology, Water Resources and Environment, that were held concurrently in Guangzhou, China, in August 2014. The papers are organized under four topics: GIS And Remote Sensing; Hydrology (Precipitation estimation and applications, Simulation and prediction of hydrological processes, Evaluation of hydrological processes); Water Resources and Environment.
Field Course in Hydrology & Geology at Reykjavik University
“The Principals of Resilience Based Management of Natural Resources” from 17th -22nd August, 2015.
The course will include daily field trips, field measurement, modelling aspects and management strategies.
This programme is a joint collaboration with the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland. For more information, or advice on applying, please check the website.
Within the Hydrology & Geology course we will visit typical Icelandic case studies to learn and discuss with experts about (this list is not complete):
- Performing discharge measurements in natural rivers to assess water availability
- Assess ecological status of river section
- Discuss geological formations and their impacts on hydrological processes
- Investigate and discuss representative areas of landscape degradation and restoration
- Assess requirements of relevant stakeholders (e.g. hydropower, farming, nature conservation)
- And finally learn and discuss the principals of resilience based management of natural resources.
The course is limited to 20 participants, so we will have interactive discussions on the above mentioned topics.
Registration is now open and we encourage you to share this with those you think may be interested.