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GroundWater 2011



March 14-16, 2011
Orléans, France


Presentation |  Topics | Target audience

 
Presentation

 

Groundwater is an essential source of freshwater for the planet. It provides more than 50% of drinking water, 40% of industrial water and 20% of irrigation water. The low costs of installing and operating tube wells along with the resulting agricultural boom have been the main reasons for the considerable worldwide expansion of groundwater use over the past 40 years.

 
But, unlike surface water, groundwater is not easily measurable and manageable. In most cases it is used by a large number of independent users, including farmers, who have direct and individual access to water. The same goes for diffuse pollutions. The complexity of aquifers functioning on large time and space scales hampers collective action as well as the perception of the impacts on the environment.
 
However formal or informal solutions emerge locally. Governance modes and regulations have been experimented in several environments worldwide. What are these solutions? In which conditions are they implemented? How effective are they? What are future opportunities for a sustainable management of groundwater resources?
 
Concrete experiences will be presented and analysed through oral presentations and round table debates.
 
For more than ten years, the Beauce region, which hosts the conference, has experimented a volumetric management system of groundwater. A return from experience by stakeholders and users of the Beauce groundwater will be presented and discussed.
 
This conference is the 24th European Regional Conference of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). The conference will accept contributions from worldwide. Transboundary groundwater issues will not be addressed by the conference.
 
 
Topics

 
1. Hydro-geological studies: how do they contribute to explain links between water resources and uses and to the definition of sustainable management rules?
 
2. Groundwater recharge and conjunctive use of ground and surface water: can conjunctive use be a solution to overcome overexploitation? Which risks and consequences on equity between users?
 
3. Collective action and multi-actors processes: pathways to sustainability?
 
4. The EU Water Framework Directive and Groundwater Daughter Directive: are these just rigid frameworks or do they provide effective incentives to develop groundwater management tools?
 
5. Economic instruments: what is their effectiveness to reduce groundwater use and pollution? In which context?
 
6. The control of water quality: to which use the groundwater is meant?

 
Target audience
 
The Conference is open to a wide public of researchers, water basin or managers of irrigation schemes, SME, users’ representatives and stakeholders.


 

Quick Facts

  • July 1st 2010 opening of two-pages papers submission
    September 15th 2010 Deadline for two-pages papers submission
    October 15th 2010 Notification to authors
    December 31st 2010 Deadline for early-bird registration
    January 31st 2011 Deadline for revised two-pages papers or full papers