From 2002-07-23 to 2002-07-26

Venue: Park Place Hotel
Traverse City, Michigan - USA

Summary:
Water resources heed no jurisdictional boundaries. This incontrovertible fact can produce complications in the management of transboundary water resources. A stream can flow across boundaries, or perhaps form the boundary between two political entities, each with differing needs, legal systems and cultures. Numerous jurisdictions may depend upon a lake for water supplies, waste disposal, transportation and food. A single aquifer system can underlie numerous jurisdictions, with its discharge areas in one jurisdiction and recharge areas in others, and abstraction all throughout the extent of its area. Even if political entities are on friendly terms, their different cultures, political systems, laws and management objectives can exacerbate efforts to achieve sustainable management of transboundary waters.

The transboundary aspects of water bodies can lead to conflict between jurisdictions, be they states, nations, provinces, municipalities, or Indian reservations. But transboundary water resources can also promote peace and accommodation, as jurisdictions that share a common water resource realize that cooperation is the only way to ensure resource protection and sustainability.

Among the conference topics:
- Integration of Different Cultures: Academic, Private, Public, Legal, Socioeconomic, Political, Effects on management, analysis and decision-making.
- Transboundary Water Resources: Legal systems, Regulatory/enforcement frameworks, Water transfers, Interjurisdictional governance, Sustainability, Ecosystems, Conflicts, Cooperation.
- Transboundary Water Quantity and Water Quality Issues: Cross-boundary contamination, Effects of global change, Resources assessment, Case studies.

Organizers: Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR)
Contact Name: Conference Secretariat
E-mail: UCOWR2002@siu.edu
URL: http://www.uwin.siu.edu/ucowr/cpaper/ori.htm