Hydrogeologic Aspects of the International Hydrological Decade
Authors: Walton W. C. 
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this paper is to stimulate additional interest in the hydrogeologic aspects of the International Hydrological Decade (IHD) program and to urge the full cooperation and participation of hydrogeologists in the research and educational activities of the Decade. The IHD, 1965–74, will strengthen the scientific base for water use and conservation, stimulate education and training in hydrology, and improve the ability of developing and developed countries alike to cope with their water resources problems. UNESCO provides an international intergovernmental umbrella and the Secretariat for IHD. More than 90 Member States of UNESCO are participating in IHD and a majority of these have established National Committees for IHD.

The UNESCO/IHD program will consist primarily of activities of participating countries themselves, catalyzed, coordinated, and supplemented by international intergovern‐mental agencies and scientific associations. Activities of Member States of UNESCO include: collection of basic data through data analysis and applied hydrology; applied and basic research; continental and global water balances and the global hydrological cycle; establishment of hydrological networks and the development of technical competence; fundamental research; definition of principal hydrological features of countries such as precipitation, discharge of water, sediment and dissolved load, evapotranspiration, distribution of tritium in precipitation, surface and ground waters; experimental basin studies to provide insight on the interplay of environmental and hydrological parameters in a broad range of geological, climatic, and ecological conditions; distribution of water in the atmosphere, in lakes and rivers, underground, in permanent ice and snow and permafrost; studies of the rate at which water moves through the hydrologic cycle; use of orbiting satellites and remote sensing instruments for measuring phenomena in the atmosphere and at the Earth's surface and for relaying observational data; organization of egional advanced training and study courses and hydrological institutes; exchange of teams of experts, exchange of professors and research scientists; and organization of symposia and regional seminars.

The US/IHD program focuses on the following five major objectives: (1) large‐scale balances of water and water‐borne material studies; (2) hydrological performance of river, lake, and ground‐water basin systems studies; (3) studies of specific hydrological processes and their variations in time, and improvement of methods and techniques; (4) education and training; and (5) services providing coordination and administration support. These objectives provide a framework within which the scientific and engineering community can contribute to IHD. A provisional US/IHD program statement identified, among others, the following hydrogeologic activities: estimation of ground‐water discharge to the sea, effects of variations in piezometric head on land subsidence, hydrology in limestone areas, radionuclide tracer studies, chemical behavior of ground water, and dispersion in moving ground water.

Hydrogeologists are urged to submit proposals concerning activities for possible inclusion in the US/IHD program. The following seven criteria guide the formulation and inclusion of activities in the US/IHD program by the U. S. National Committee for IHD: (1) the activity is sufficiently fundamental or aimed at results so useful that it will interest all hydrologists; (2) the activity requires joint or coordinated work in two or more countries; (3) the activity concerns a problem whose solution and verification would be improved by work in two or more countries; (4) the activity concerns continental, hemispheric, or global phenomena or processes; (5) the activity requires action in international areas such as polar regions, international waters, and multi‐national basins; (6) the activity involves the hydrologic use of earth‐orbiting satellites; and (7) the activity involves intercountry exchange or visits of personnel (in some instances, the exchange or visit itself may be the main item of interest). Proposals may be of projects already in progress, for expansion or modification of on‐going projects, or for new work. Proposals may be submitted as contributions, requiring no financial aid from or through the IHD; for endorsement by IHD as an aid in obtaining financial aid elsewhere; or, when funds become available, as IHD projects receiving financial assistance from the IHD. Further information may be obtained from: U. S. Na‐tional Committee for the International Hydrological Decade, National Academy of Sciences, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20418.