Summary

News

   - Natural Sciences Sector Participation Programme releases study on global change impacts on glacier, snow and water resources
   - ICHARM and the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism organize 5th International Conference on Flood Management

Events

Featured International Events
   - SIL 2010: 31st Congress of the International Society of Limnology
   - 5th International Symposium on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and 3rd International Symposium on Methodology in Hydrology
   - Geotunis 2010: The use of GIS and remote sensing for sustainable development

Did you know?

Facts and figures about Uzbekistan – The Aral Sea Basin

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News

Natural Sciences Sector Participation Programme releases study on global change impacts on glacier, snow and water resources

In the arid climate of the Central Asia, water is the key factor for development.

In this region thawed snow and glacial water contribute significantly to the formation of water resources. The study supported by PP programme identified that Glaciers system in the Northern Slope of the mountain region of Zailiyskiy Alatau decreased at an average rate of 0.85% per year from 1956-1990.

There are very few studies that attempt to predict the development of the glacier system, the lack of a monitoring system in Central Asia is responsible for inadequate information on glacier mass dynamics.

More information

ICHARM and the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism organize 5th International Conference on Flood Management

International Conference on Flood Management (ICFM) is the only recurring international conference wholly focused on flood related issues. It is designed to bring together practitioners and researchers alike, including engineers, planners, health specialists, disaster managers, decision makers, and policy makers engaged in various aspects of floodplain management. It provides a unique opportunity for these various specialists to come together to exchange ideas and experiences.

The 5th International Conference on Flood Management (ICFM5) marks the continued advancement of flood management practices and policies around the world. The name change from "Defence" as used in the previous four events to "Management" is reflective of the more integrative approaches to flood management that nations are increasingly employing. The first International Symposium on Flood Defence, held in Kassel, Germany in 2000, emphasized flood defence measures with each successive event (Beijing 2002, Nijmegen 2005 and Toronto 2008) evolving towards more integrative approaches, including risk, vulnerability and capacity building.

The ICFM5 theme is "Floods: From Risk to Opportunity", reflective of the continued trend towards a broader understanding of how we collectively make use of the opportunities provided by floods and flooding, cope with risks posed by them and plan for and respond to flood events.

ICFM5 website

ICFM5 First Announcement

Events

Featured International Events

SIL 2010: 31st Congress of the International Society of Limnology
15-20 August 2010: Cape Town, South Africa

5th International Symposium on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and 3rd International Symposium on Methodology in Hydrology
19-21 November 2010: Nanjing, China

Geotunis 2010: The use of GIS and remote sensing for sustainable development
29 November – 3 December 2010: Tunis, Tunisia

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Did you know...? Facts and figures about Uzbekistan – The Aral Sea Basin

• The Aral Sea basin contains over 14,752 glaciers with a total area of some 1,043 km2. The ones located in Uzbekistan account for 1.1% of the total glaciated area in Central Asia. Recent assessments indicate that the country’s glaciers and ice reserves are receding. Since 1957 the glaciers have shrunk by almost 20%, losing 104 billion m3 of water.
• The bulk of freshwater resources in Uzbekistan comes from the Syr Darya, a river originating in Tajikistan; the Amu Darya, which flows in from Kyrgyzstan; and, to a lesser extent, the Kashka Darya and Zarafshan rivers.
• Available freshwater resources in Uzbekistan are estimated at 67 billion m3 per year. Of this amount, 55.1 billion m3 comes from surface waters and 7.8 billion m3 from groundwater.
• Although only 10% of the 444,000 km2 of arable land is irrigated, the irrigation efficiency is low, so this water demand amounts to 92.5% of overall annual water consumption in Uzbekistan.
• With demand for water growing in all sectors, it will be impossible to meet the combined needs in the medium term. Projections based on existing consumption trends indicate there could be a water deficit of up to 14 billion m3 by 2015.
• The main legislation governing water management is the 1993 Law on Water and Water Use. Uzbekistan is in the process of adopting a series of measures intended to improve water supply so as to promote employment and better living standards.
• Inefficient use of water in irrigation, combined with ineffective drainage systems, has flooded large areas of land with a mixture of fresh and polluted return water. Aerial photos taken in 2005 reveal pools of semicontaminated water, covering as much as 800 km2 in all.

The section "Did You Know…?" is taken from the 3rd World Water Development Report "Water in a Changing World".

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