The XXXVI IAH (International Association of Hydrogeologists) Congress was held in Toyama from 27 to 31 October 2008. 8 participants of Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR) took part in the academic meeting, including Prof. Song Xianfang, Prof. Yu Jingjie, Dr. Zhang Yinghua, Dr. Han Dongmei, Dr. Zhang Liang, Ph.D student Wang Shiqin, Master student Hu Shanshan and Min Leilei.

There are 5 topics in the congress, including:

T1 Groundwater and Natural/Man-Induced Disasters;

T2 Groundwater under Climate Change / Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater Resources;

T3 Groundwater Development and Management for Sustainability and Security;

T4 Roles of Groundwater in Ecosystems;

T5 Challenging Hydrogeological Issues.

The meeting was divided into oral and poster presentation. 7 oral presentations from IGSNRR were presented on the congress. On behalf of Chinese scientists, Prof. Song Xianfang introduced the status of hydrological monitoring research in IGSNRR and presented research results. During the meeting, special research programs were discussed, including UNESCO IHP(United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization-International Hydrological Program), GRAPHIC(Groundwater Resources Assessment under the Pressures of Humanity and Climate Change), GWES(Groundwater for Emergency Situations), Groundwater in Alluvial Fun and Groundwater Issues in Asia, and so on. Significantly, Dr. Holger Treidel from UNESCO introduced the development of GRAPHIC and WES projects. And Dr. Richard Taylor from University College London put emphasis on the GRAPHIC projects in Africa. Moreover, Dr. Willi Struckmeier from German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) presented some ideas looking at groundwater from a global point of view on WHYMAP (World-wide Hydrogeological Mapping and Assessment Programme) and GRAPHIC. The senior hydrogeologist Jaroslav Vrba from Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic also discussed the UNESCO GWES projects.

Before the congress, the participants of our institute visited the National Institute for Environmental Studies, and Faculty of Horticulture, Chiba University.

By Dr. Dongmei HAN (Key Laboratory of Water Cycle & Related Land Surface Progresses, CAS)

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