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Spate irrigation is an ancient practice by which floodwater is diverted from its river bed and channelled to basins where it is used to irrigate crops and feed drinking-water ponds, serve forest and grazing land and recharge local aquifers. It has evolved over the centuries and provided rural populations in arid and semi-arid regions with an ingenious way to cope with the aridity of their climate. It is thought that spate irrigation started in present-day Yemen, where it has been practised for around five thousand years.

Water and Climate in Focus at World Water Week in Stockholm

The programme for the sessions on Water and Climate at the World Water Week in Stockholm (5–11 September 2010) is ready.

Mapping Pakistan floods

Late July 2010, heavy rain caused record flooding in Pakistan, especially along the Kabul River in the northwestern part of the country. The UN, governments and private organizations are joining forces to help. One of the means is to provide accurate and timely data about the situation on the ground. Maps, as supplied by many organisations, are very helpful for getting an overview of the problems, e.g. of the flood extension.

Report workshop «Advances in Flood Forecasting and the Implications for Risk Management» available

The report of the International Workshop on Advances in Flood Forecasting and the Implications for Risk Management (Alkmaar, the Netherlands, 25–26 May 2010) is now available. The workshop was organized by the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine Basin (CHR), together with the Netherlands National Committee IHP-HWRP and other international partners.

The right to water and water rights in a changing world

22 September 2010, Delft • Colloquium in the framework of 30 years University for Peace. The topic is very timely: in the face of global changes, what role can law play in safeguarding basic needs and rights, including that of water?

UNESCO Director-General to visit flood zones in Pakistan

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova will visit flood-stricken zones and meet with national and regional authorities during a visit to Pakistan on 31 August 2010.

World Water Week 2010 to focus on water quality

The World Water Week in Stockholm is the annual meeting place for the planet’s most urgent water-related issues. The thematic scope for 2010 is «The Water Quality Challenge – Prevention, Wise Use and Abatement». Organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the Week brings together experts, practitioners, decision makers and leaders from around the globe to exchange ideas, foster new thinking and develop solutions.

Integrated Urban Water Management: Humid Tropics

A new UNESCO publication focuses on the engineering aspects related to water supply, wastewater and stormwater management in the humid tropics. Flood control is dealt with, focusing on reducing vulnerability to flood disasters in urban areas. The book also addresses environmental health concerns related to the different components of the urban water system and proposes strategies for their control.

MLU for Windows – UNESCO edition

MLU for Windows is an analytical groundwater modelling tool to compute heads and drawdowns, analyse a variety of aquifer test data and design well fields in layered aquifer systems. The Netherlands National Committee IHP-HWRP is pleased to announce the availability of the special UNESCO IHP edition of MLU – fully functional and free for UNESCO’s IHP community.

Guide to Hydrological Practices: new edition by WMO

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has just published the new (6th) edition of its Guide to Hydrological Practices. The Guide now has fewer but broader chapters and is issued in two volumes:
1 – Hydrology: From Measurement to Hydrological Information
2 – Management of Water Resources and Application of Hydrological Practices

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