15 July 2001

4th International Symposium on Artificial Recharge

Unique international conference that will focus on an area of intensive innovation with great potential to make a positive contribution to the management of the world's water issues.

• Borvin Kracman (Chair)
• Ivan Johnson (Co-Chair)
• Russell Martin (Secretary)
• Peter Dillon (Technical Program)
• Robert Thomas (Treasurer)

Why Attend

Water is precious. Managing water is a global challenge that impacts the environmental, social, economic and political cornerstones of our existence on Earth. Artificial recharge is an environment-friendly way to conserve water and to improve its quality. Recharge concepts are simple but practitioners know that we have much to learn about issues that will be discussed at the symposium. Such issues include prevention of clogging, use of aquifers for water treatment and water reclamation, biogeochemical processes, water banking, public policy, catchment management, economics and new technologies. We invite you to participate in the 4th International Symposium on Artificial Recharge with the theme. "Management of Aquifer Recharge for Sustainability". This topic was decided on during the closing plenary at TISAR (ISAR3 Amsterdam, Sept 1998) and since then the imperative for this theme has magnified. Silting of wadi impoundments and percolation tanks in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, clogging of ASR wells through geochemical processes, growth of biomass in aquifers, maintenance of water quality in bank or dune filtration, soil-aquifer-treatment, and mineral leaching affecting aquifer stability are important issues that affect the economics and longevity of groundwater recharge projects.

A huge increase in the number and variety of artificial recharge schemes, monitoring methods, and a growing understanding of subsurface physical and biogeochemical processes, and consequently improved design and management will make this a compelling symposium. Many of these innovations can be seen in Australia. There's a host of other good reasons to visit Australia; scenic beauty, culture, arts, food and wine. We aim to have a good number of delegates from Asia, The Pacific, and South America, as well as established exponents of artificial recharge from Europe, North America, Africa and the Middle East, to facilitate exchange of ideas.

Who should attend?

Water utilities, environmental regulators, water resource agencies, researchers, consultants, hydrogeologists, engineers, geochemists, microbiologists, groundwater modellers, economists, ecologists, social scientists, policy advisers - developed and developing countries. A delegate support program is being prepared with assistance from AusAID and UNESCO. See web page for details on eligibility and applications.

Registration Information will be available in December 2001

For more information contact: