Groundwater is important in sustainable integrated water resources management, especially in arid areas, where it forms the only source of fresh water. The IHP works with partners to compile inventories, develop guidelines and publish good experiences to support the sound use and careful protection of this precious resource. The Management of Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is being applied extensively through traditional techniques in many part of the world. It has opened up a variety of possibilities to extend inadequate groundwater resources by increasing the rate of groundwater formation or by using the capacity of soil to improve the quality of water.

The series of MAR symposia has established itself as an important mechanism by which to report on state-of-the-art techniques in managing aquifer recharge. The 5^th International Symposium on Managing Artificial Recharge of Groundwater (ISMAR-5), held in Berlin, Germany, in June 2005, allowed the review of advancement of techniques made in the three years following the 4^th International Symposium on Artificial Recharge of Groundwater (ISAR-4), held in Adelaide, Australia, in September 2002 and also endorsed by the IHP.

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This collection of essays is a new and systematic effort to survey the controversial aspect of the management and, in many cases, mismanagement of freshwater resources in an urban setting. It addresses and characterizes the conflicts that arise within large human settlements, due to the economic and social implications of access to and the use of basic water services. It also presents in-depth case studies from cities of various continents.

These essays are particularly relevant in a time when the world is becoming increasingly urbanized. Current projections predict that, by 2007, half of humanity will live in cities, meaning that the planet will have an urban majority for the first time in history. There are other political, social and economic processes at work, not the least of which has been the trend towards privatizing water services, which is of particular relevance to the analysis of urban water conflicts.

This publication will prove useful to urban water policymakers, decision-makers, planners and managers throughout the world.

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By Daniel P. Loucks and Eelco van Beek

Droughts, floods and pollution are frequently viewed as constraints to economic and social development. How too little, too much or over-polluted water is managed can determine the extent to which this critical resource contributes to human welfare.

‘Water Resources Systems Planning and Management’ considers how water resources management can become more integrated and sustainable. It introduces the science and art of modelling in support of water resources planning and management. The authors draw on their extensive experience to provide a variety of management tools that can be used in water resources system planning, development and management projects worldwide.

The information, examples, case studies and range of exercises included in this book will facilitate the process of becoming a skilled water resources systems modeller, analyst and planner. It will serve many students, teachers, and practising water resource engineers and planners in the years to come.

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The concept behind ecological sanitation (ecosan) is that sanitation problems could be solved more sustainably and efficiently if the resources contained in excreta and wastewater were recovered and used rather than discharged into the water bodies and the surrounding environment. The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) related to sanitation is one of the major challenges for sustainable development in the next decade. Putting emphasis on education and research for ecologically sustainable sanitation may largely contribute to reaching this goal.

This publication deals with educational aspects and guidelines linked to ecosan capacity building. It is the result of a substantive collaborative effort between UNESCO’s IHP and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ).

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The utilization of non-renewable groundwater resources, whether on a planned or unplanned basis, implies the mining of storage reserves. To confront the challenge posed in achieving socially-sustainable development of non-renewable groundwater, an integrated approach to resource management is essential. It is for this reason that the guidebook places strong emphasis on the socio-economic, institutional and legal dimensions of groundwater utilization and management. The target audience for this publication is water resource decision-makers, and the guidebook is written in a style intended to provide easy reference for them, with a specific framework of guidelines being presented upfront.

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This book, published by Balkema as part of the UNESCO-IHE Lecture Note Series, covers all major fields of hydrogeology and includes outlines of the occurrence of groundwater in various rock types, the movement and storage of groundwater, the formulation of groundwater balances, the development of groundwater chemistry, as well as the practical application of hydrogeology for groundwater development. Suitable for education in hydrogeology at postgraduate and graduate level, the text is also a useful reference tool for professionals and decision-makers involved in water or water-related activities. In the revised paperback edition (February 2006), more attention is paid to the processes in the unsaturated zone, especially those relating to groundwater recharge.

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Many international, national and local organizations see great potential for recharge enhancement to increase the security and quality of water supplies in water-scarce areas. But if such projects are to succeed, they need to be well planned, designed and operated, and should be an integral part of catchment/basin-wide water management strategies.

The purpose of this document is to draw together experience of application of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) in semi-arid regions in order to provide guidance and examples of good practice throughout the world. It provides insight into implementing and managing aquifer recharge as part of wider water management strategies and, together with other joint UNESCO and IAH activities, will help to promote networking, information sharing and improved understanding and implementation of sustainable MAR schemes.

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The 10^th International Conference of the Euromediterranean Network of Experimental and Research Basins (ERB) was jointly organized by the UNESCO/IHP Northern European FRIEND group and the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI) in Turin, Italy.

Scientific sessions were organized focusing on surface and subsurface water flow; precipitation-runoff processes; water quality and quantity relationships; water and sediment relationships; and approaches and experiences on earth process studies involving development of innovative devices.

The conference proceedings, released as IHP Technical Document in Hydrology N°77, contain selected contributions and present results obtained in experimental sites located in different regional landscapes and geographical positions of the Euromediterranean network of ERB.

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CYANONET was established to address an issue of growing global concern: the annual production of excessive populations of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and their potent toxins (cyanotoxins) in water resources and the risks which these present to health.

In recent years, the incidence of harmful algal blooms, both marine (sometimes called red tides) and freshwater (sometimes called waterblooms or CyanoHABs) has increased globally in frequency, severity, and duration. The causes for this apparent expansion are unknown, but some believe that human alteration of the water quality of the coastal zone and freshwater environments is an important factor.

This report, released as IHP Technical Document in Hydrology No. 76, details the results of the first CYANONET workshop held at the University of Dundee, United Kingdom, on 27 November 2004. That workshop provided an up-to-date, initial global assessment of CyanoHABs and cyanotoxins, their impacts and management actions being used to address these.

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