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IGRAC: State of affairs by the end of June 2003
After the International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC) was officially inaugurated at the Third World Water Forum in March this year, activities were carried out to establish the centre as an institution. This has resulted - among others - in a team of six professionals presently working for IGRAC and a funding document issued by the Netherlands government warranting IGRAC's financing during the years 2003 and 2004. Procedures to formalise the auspices of UNESCO and WMO for IGRAC are in an advanced stage.
In parallel, technical activities have been developed as well. In the first place, a plan for the Global Groundwater Information System (GGIS) was made and the development of its module 'Global Overview' is at present in full swing. Co-operation with the IAH/UNESCO/BGR project WHYMAP ('Groundwater Resources of the World') has been agreed upon. This offers obviously options for synergy: increasing the overall efficiency and ensuring good consistency between the products envisaged by both parties. Furthermore, an inventory of available guidelines and protocols on groundwater data acquisition was initiated; a draft report on the findings is expected to be available soon. Many persons all over the world have given valuable hints and inputs to this inventory, which is gratefully acknowledged. IGRAC will disseminate all key outputs of its technical activities via its web site: www.igrac.net.