GREETING FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

Foundation of the future rests on the achievements of the past. If we are not on a solid foundation, our future will be bleak. This is also true for irrigation, drainage and flood control. We have made many mistakes in development, use, and management of water, but we are repeating these mistakes, degrading the quality and depleting the quantity of water, leading to the destruction of our life supporting system.

Without establishing long-term sustainability of water use, it would be difficult to maintain human society and culture. We can learn many lessons from history of water use over a long period. Present civilization or city is based on the modern technology and science that started after the industrial revolution. However, we should consider much longer time frame when we think of sustainability issue. Particularly economic benefits and efficiency have played important role in determining water use and development in our modern society, however, social, cultural, institutional factors should also be incorporated in such decision making. Historical lessons can provide important insights to guide us. .

How can we learn from the wisdom of our ancestors or mistakes/failures? Can we establish long-term sustainability of water use and management? Can we answer these questions and survive? Mission of our History working group is to provide insights into these important challenges in front of us.

N. Hatcho
Chairman, WG-HIST
Professor, International Resources Management School of Agriculture
Kinki University
3327-204, Nakamachi,
Nara, Japan
E-mail : HATCHO@nara.kindai.ac.jp

ABOUT ICID
The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) was established on 24 June, 1950 as a Scientific, Technical and Voluntary Not-for-profit Non-Governmental International Organization (NGO) with headquarters in New Delhi, India.

The Commission is dedicated to enhancing the worldwide supply of food and fibre for all people by improving water and land management and the productivity of irrigated and drained lands through appropriate management of water, environment and application of irrigation, drainage and flood management techniques. [For more information contact http://www.icid.org]

MANDATE OF WORKING GROUP
To motivate ICID National Committees in various countries to set up their National Working Groups and provide them guidance to compile, publish, update and/or translate documents on history of irrigation, drainage, flood control, and river engineering, incorporating relevant agricultural, political, socio-economic, climatological and geographical aspects for proper understanding of the technological developments in the subject, if possible chronologically. Furthermore, to organise seminars at ICID Congresses in order to show to experts the importance of historical studies when planning new projects.

MEMBERSHIP

Members : (1) Prof. N. Hatcho, Chairman, 2002 (Japan, 1996); (2) Dr. Hubert Toussaint, Secretary (The Netherlands, 2005); (3) Dr. Ricardo S. Graino (Spain, 1992); (4) Mrs. F. Sinatti (Italy, 1994); (5) Mrs. Xuming Tan (China, 1997); (6) Dr. S.H. Lee (Korea, 1997); (7) Dr. Naser Shayan (Iran, 1998); (8) Dr. Illahi B. Shaikh (Pakistan, 2000); (9) Dr. Laszlo Hayde (Hungary, 2001); (10) Prof. Zorko Kos (Croatia, 2002); (11) Mr. Aliyu Jada (Nigeria, 2002); (12) Mr. Satit Maneepai (Thailand, 2002); (13) Dr. Alexus Vogel (Austria, 2002); (14) Mr. B.D. Pateria (India, 2003); (15) Mr. Jean Verdier (France, 2003); (16) Dr. Hafied A. Gany (Indonesia, 2005); (17) Mr. Charles A. Abernethy (Great Britain, 2005); (18) Dr. Ing. Klaus Rottcher (UK, 2006); (19) Prof. Wen-Pin Shu (Chinese Taipei, 2006); and (20) Secretary General, ICID.

Observer : (i) Dr. (Mrs.) B. Dolfing (The Netherlands).

PUBLICATIONS

Published Works

(1) Irrigation and Drainage in Chile (1980); (2) History of Irrigation in the Philippines (1982); (3) History of Irrigation in Western Canada (1982); (4) The History of Water Resources Development and Irrigation in Iran (1983); (5) History of Irrigation in Japan (1984); (6) History of Irrigation and Drainage in the USSR (1985); (7) Aqua y Sociedad (History of Hydraulic Works in Mexico (in Spanish, 1988); (8) History of Dams (2 Volumes, 1987 and 1991); (9) Irrigation and Flood Control in Canada, 1989; (10) History of Irrigation in Thailand (1990); (11) L'immenso deposito di tatiche (History of Irrigation in Lombordia/Italy) (in Italian, 1990); (12) A Concise History of Irrigation in China (1991); (13) History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control in Bangladesh (1991); (14) History of Irrigation in Spain (In Spanish, 1992); (15) History of Irrigation in Malaysia (1992); (16) Man-Made Lowlands (The Netherlands, 1993); (17) History of Flood Protection and Drainage in Coastal Areas (in German, 1993); (18) History of Irrigation (2 Volumes in Portuguese, 1993 and 1 Volume as Summary in English,1994); (19) Historical Water Management in the Alpine Region and in the Danube (in German, 1994); (20) History of Irrigation in Turkey (3 books in Turkish, 1994); (21) History of Irrigation in Australia (1995); (22) History of Irrigation in Korea (1995); (23) Water Resources Management Drainage and Melioration in Brandenburg county (1998); (24) Irrigation Works in Prehistoric Mexico (MXCID, 1999); (25) History of Irrigation in Korea (New, 2001); (26) Historical Dams, 2001; (27) History of Irrigation in Egypt (in Arabic, 2001); (28) Water Management Systems in France (in French, 2002); (29) The Indus Basin - History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Management, 2004; (30) Danube Valley - History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control 2004; (31) History of Irrigation and Drainage in Spain, 2004; (32) History of Irrigation in Indonesia, 2004; (33) Land Reclamation, Irrigation, and Integral Land Reclamation Consortia in Italy, 2004; (34) History of Irrigation Development in Andhra Pradesh, India ( INCID, 2004); and (35) Man-Made Lowlands (The Netherlands, 2004).

Publications under preparation : History of Irrigation in Eastern Asia; History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean

AGENDA : 58th International Executive Council Meeting, Sacramento, USA [Previous Agendas]

MINUTES - 57th International Executive Council Meeting, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Previous Minutes]

AWARD

The Best Performing Workbody Award (BPWA) was instituted in 2003 to recognize the performance of workbodies between the two Congresses. The first such award has been given to WG-HIST.

The Group has published more than 30 volumes of Water History related documents and books, including Historical Dams (ICID 2001), The Danube Valley (ICID 2004), The Indus Basin (ICID 2004), "A History of Water Issues" (UNU 2005), and History of Irrigation and Drainage of various member countries.

SEMINARS ORGANIZED

Seminar on `Management of Historical/Traditional Irrigation Projects', September 2005, 19th ICID Congress, Beijing (China)

The 3rd World Water Forum
[Water and Cities]
History of Water : Lessons to Learn

Seminar on 'History of Water - Lessons to Learn from History' held on 17-18 March 2003 at Kyoto (Japan)

Seminar on 'History of Irrigation - Lessons from Failures in Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Protection Projects' held in July 2002 during 18th Congress, Montreal (Canada)

PROPOSED SEMINAR

International History Seminar on 'Lessons to Learn from Historical Development and Management of Water in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions', Tehran, Iran, 2-3 May 2007.

International Workshop on History of Irrigation, Drainage and flood Control, Pavia, Italy, 2 September 2007.

Seminar on 'History of Water Management in Large River Basins and Droughts', Lahore, Pakistan, October 2008 (title tentative).

LINKS
International Water History Association, Bergen, Norway