News
EU research project on water resources: monitoring and forecasting
The main aim of the recently launched AWARE project (Available Water Resources in Mountain Environments) is to provide tools for monitoring and forecasting water availability and distribution in those drainage basins where snowmelt is a major component of the annual water balance in Alpine catchments.
Decrease in water runoff from the Swiss Alps
A new study analyses the impact of a potential climate change on hydrological discharge regimes from the Swiss Alpine region for the period between 2020 and 2050. Eleven catchment areas with different glaciation rates and altitude ranges were examined.
Exchange of know-how on hydrogeological disruptions
The CATCHRISK project (mitigation of hydro-geological risk in alpine catchments) is in its end phase.
2005 Swiss Mountain Water Award launched
The Governmental Conference of Alpine Cantons (GCAC) has launched the Swiss Mountain Water Award, which is endowed with a total of CHF 50,000. The objective of the competition is to initiate and promote practical water projects capable of making a substantial contribution to increased net output in the mountain areas of Switzerland in commercial, ecological, social and/or institutional terms.
Artificial high water affects ecology of running water
A new WWF study shows that the artificial high-water (surges) and low-water (sinks) caused daily by hydraulic power plants are having disastrous repercussions on the ecosystem of running water.
ReSource Award - On the lookout for sustainable water management projects
This year once again Swiss Re, a leading re-insurance company, is rewarding innovative water management projects.
World Water Day: Calls for waterway conservation and a stop to deregulation
The motto for this year's International Water Day on March 22 was "Water and Natural Catastrophes". A number of organisations seized the day to put forward their demands for better water conservation.
First International Mountain Day on December 11
International Mountain Day is to be held worldwide for the first time on December 11. Its motto this year is "Mountains, Source of Freshwater". The UN decided to set up this special day following the resounding success of the International Year of Mountains in 2002.
Plans for a network of the Alps' large lakes
Together with various partners the French Rhône-Alpes region is planning to submit to the EU Programme Interreg IIIB Alpine Space a project for setting up a network of large natural lakes in the alpine region. The project's main goals are to include environmental protection in harmony with the European Framework Directive on Water and sustainable tourist development of lake landscapes.
New four-language dictionary on flood protection
The Swiss Federal Office for Water and Geology and the Swiss Federal Chancellery have published a dictionary on flood protection in German, French, Italian and English.
CIPRA calls for Alpine Convention Water Protocol
For years the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps CIPRA has been demanding that the Alpine states draw up a Water Protocol to the Alpine Convention. In Innsbruck/A CIPRA itself tabled a proposal for such a Protocol to coincide with the UN's International Year of Freshwater 2003.
Cross-border co-operation for the alpine Rhine and Rhine
The comprehensive survey into the current situation conducted as part of the "Alpine Rhine Development Concept" is now completed. On July 1 experts presented the results before representatives of local communities, environmentalists, anglers, energy suppliers and other parties with a vested interest. For the first time the groups concerned are able to take part in a planning project within an international framework.