The International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) is a non-profit

non-governmental A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...

scientific organisation committed to serving the science of

hydrology Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is call ...

and the worldwide community of hydrologists. The IAHS was established in 1922, and presently claims a membership in excess of 9,000 with members in over 150 countries. Ten international scientific commissions deal with the hydrological cycle, water resources, and specific techniques. Other working groups and initiatives address particular issues.

Governance

IAHS is one of the eight associations that comprise the

International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG; french: Union géodésique et géophysique internationale, UGGI) is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the scientific study of Earth and its space environment us ...

. In accordance with the IAHS statutes and by-laws, the IAHS officers and commissioners are elected every four years by national representatives at the IAHS plenary during the IUGG General Assembly

National representation

Official contact between the IAHS and member countries is via the national representative in each country who acts as a focal point and channel for communication. If there is a national IUGG committee (usually appointed by the national academy of sciences or equivalent), the IAHS representative is nominated by it, or its IAHS subcommittee. Member countries may also appoint national correspondents of the Commissions.

Publications

IAHS Press fulfills the IAHS mission of worldwide dissemination of research results and practice, and raises funds, by publishing and selling the ''Hydrological Sciences Journal'' and three book series: the Red Book series, Special Publications (Blue Books) and the Benchmark series. Since 2014, the Red Book series has been published online open-access by

Copernicus Publications Copernicus Publications (also: Copernicus GmbH) is a publisher of scientific literature based in Göttingen, Germany. Founded in 1994, Copernicus Publications currently publishes 28 peer-reviewed open access scientific journals and other public ...

as the Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (PIAHS). The IAHS electronic news is distributed free to the members.

Finance

IAHS is a UK

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

; all revenues are used to support the aims of the Association. The greater part of IAHS’ funding is raised through the publication of the ''Hydrological Sciences Journal''. IAHS works closely with IUGG,

International Council for Science The International Council for Science (ICSU, after its former name, International Council of Scientific Unions) was an international non-governmental organization devoted to multilateralism, international cooperation in the advancement of scie ...

(ICSU),

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics. The WMO originated from the Inter ...

(WMO),

International Atomic Energy Agency The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 195 ...

(IAEA) and WWC, and often collaborates with organisations such as

International Association of Hydrogeologists The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) is a scientific and educational organisation whose aims are to promote research into and understanding of the proper management and protection of groundwater for the common good throughout th ...

(IAH),

International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research Founded in 1935, the 'International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)'' is a worldwide, not-for-profit, global, independent members-based organisation of engineers, professionals and researchers working in fields re ...

(IAHR) and

Inland Waterways Association The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is a registered charity in the United Kingdom and was formed in 1946 to campaign for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and sensitive development of British Canals and river navigations. No ...

(IWA).

Hydrological decades

IAHS supports hydrological research decades that aim to encourage hydrological research around the globe under a common theme.

Predictions in Ungauged Basins

The Predictions in Ungauged Basins (PUB) scientific decade lasted from 2003 to 2012. It was described as the "first scientific endeavour to track and quantify the world's water supply". Results from the PUB decade benefited other scientific initiatives such as HEPEX.

Panta Rhei: change in hydrology and society

The Panta Rhei scientific decade runs from 2013–2022. The name ' Panta Rhei' means 'Everything Flows'. The Panta Rhei decade focuses on scientific understanding, prediction and water management in rapidly changing environmental systems, with an explicit focus on the role of humans in the water cycle. The theme and the name of the Panta Rhei decade was identified through a community discussion and Panta Rhei was launched in 2013. During the first Panta Rhei biennium 2013-2015, 31 working groups were formed on diverse topics related to hydrology, society and change. Panta Rhei shares some common aims with the

International Hydrological Programme The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is UNESCO’s international scientific cooperative program in water research, water resource management, water education, and capacity- building, and the only broadly based science program of the UN s ...

(IHP) Phase VIII on Water Security.

References

External links

IAHS Homepage

IUGG Homepage

UNESCO Hydrology IHP

International Association of Hydrogeologists

international Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research

World Meteorological Organization

Hydrological Sciences Journal

Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences
{{Authority control Geology organizations International scientific organizations International organisations based in the United Kingdom 1922 establishments in England