Building peace in the minds of men and women

Hydrology Initiatives

As a science and education programme at the global level, the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) covers a wide spectrum of projects and initiatives. All IHP-related activities are endorsed, recommended and coordinated through the IHP Intergovernmental Council.
 
IHP’s two cross-cutting initiatives, FRIEND-Water and HELP, interact with all IHP themes through their operational concepts. IHP’s associated initiatives cover projects and activities that contribute to the development and implementation of IHP themes, and are often interlinked with joint initiatives and interagency components.
 
  • FRIEND-Water (Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data).
    An international research initiative that helps to set up regional networks for analyzing hydrological data through the exchange of data, knowledge and techniques at the regional level.
     
  • GRAPHIC (Groundwater Resources Assessment under the Pressures of Humanity and Climate Change).
    A UNESCO-led project seeking to improve our understanding of how groundwater interacts within the global water cycle, how it supports human activity and ecosystems, and how it responds to the complex dual pressures of human activity and climate change.
     
  • G-WADI (Global Network on Water and Development Information in Arid Lands).
    A global network on water resources management in arid and semi-arid zones whose primary aim is to build an effective global community to promote international and regional cooperation in the arid and semiarid areas.
     
  • HELP (Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy).
    A new approach to integrated catchment management by building a framework for water law and policy experts, water resource managers and water scientists to work together on water-related problems.
     
  • IDI (International Drought Initiative).
    The initiative aims at providing a platform for networking and dissemination of knowledge and information between international entities that are active working on droughts. 
     
  • IFI (International Flood Initiative).
    An interagency initiative promoting an integrated approach to flood management which takes advantage of the benefits of floods and the use of flood plains, while reducing social, environmental and economic risks. Partners: the World Metereological Organization (WMO), the United Nations University (UNU), the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) and the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR).
     
  • IIWQ (International Initiative on Water Quality). 
    An initiative aimed at international scientific and policy cooperation to promote research, knowledge generation and dissemination, and effective and innovative policies to meet global water quality challenges in a holistic and collaborative manner towards ensuring water security for sustainable development.
     
  • ISARM (Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management).
    An initiative to set up a network of specialists and experts to compile a world inventory of transboundary aquifers and to develop wise practices and guidance tools concerning shared groundwater resources management.
     
  • ISI (International Sediment Initiative).
    An initiative to assess erosion and sediment transport to marine, lake or reservoir environments aimed at the creation of a holistic approach for the remediation and conservation of surface waters, closely linking science with policy and management needs.
     
  • IWRM (Integrated Water Resources Management). 
    Implementing IWRM at the river basin level is an essential element to managing water resources more sustainably, leading to long-term social, economic and environmental benefits.
     
  • JIIHP (Joint International Isotope Hydrology Programme).
    A programme facilitating the integration of isotopes in hydrological practices through the development of tools, inclusion of isotope hydrology in university curricula and support to programmes in water resources using isotope techniques.
     
  • PCCP (From Potential Conflict to Cooperation Potential).
    A project facilitating multi-level and interdisciplinary dialogues in order to foster peace, cooperation and development related to the management of shared water resources.
     
  • UWMP (Urban Water Management Programme).
    A programme that generates approaches, tools and guidelines which will allow cities to improve their knowledge, as well as analysis of the urban water situation to draw up more effective urban water management strategies.
     
  • WHYMAP (World Hydrogeological Map).
    An initiative to collect, collate and visualize hydrogeological information at the global scale to convey groundwater-related information in a way appropriate for global discussion on water issues.