The
MOU Concerning Cooperation in the Field of Hydrology, Water Resources
and Global Climate Change was implemented with a term of three years.
Under the framework of the Memorandum, a Workshop on Hydrology,
Water Resources and Global Climate Change (officially referred to
as the Workshop on the Effects of Global Climate Change on Hydrology
and Water Resources at the Catchment Scale) was held in Tsukuba,
Japan on February 3-6, 1992.
|
1st workshop
Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan/
February 3-6, 1992
|
2nd workshop
Boulder, Colorado/ February
1-2, 1993
|
February
1-2, 1993, a second workshop was held in Boulder, Colorado, USA, to
establish definitive joint research projects, and the mechanisms for
implementing them, under the terms of the PWRI-USGS Memorandum of
Understanding. Seven distinct projects were established in the form
of Annexes to the MOU, each having a term of two years. Thus, the
term of the MOU and its Annexes expired in February, 1995. |
Because
both Parties to the agreement felt the joint activities were productive
and of mutual benefit, it was agreed that the MOU, and each of the
Annexes, would be extended for a three-year period. This was officially
done on January 31-February 1, 1995 at a third workshop convened in
Tsukuba, Japan. In addition to extending the term of the agreement,
the Third Workshop was designed to review and enhance Annex activities. |
3rd workshop
Tsukuba,
Ibaraki, Japa‚ˇ/ January
31-February 1, 1995
|
4th workshop
Honolulu,
Hawaii/iFebruary 24-28,
1997
|
After
five years of cooperative exchange, both Parties agreed that it was
desirable to conduct a thorough diagnostic evaluation of the issues,
accomplishments, and implications associated with the research under
each Annex. Accordingly, a fourth workshop was convened on February
24-28, 1997 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The fourth workshop affirmed the
mutual scientific and technical benefit of the research collaboration,
and considered the value of expanding the joint research effort into
the area of watershed modeling and watershed management. To facilitate
the latter, both Parties agreed to invite the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
to participate in the joint activities. |
The
fifth workshop, convened on March 2-5, 1999 in Atami, Shizuoka, focused
on future issues related to watershed management and related research,
as well as an evaluation of progress on existing research projects.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) participated in the workshop
and, at the same time, began the process of establishing a separate
agreement with PWRI in the form of an Implementing Arrangement (IA).
The PWRI-USBR IA was eventually signed in November 2000. |
5th workshop
Atami,
Shizuoka, Japan/ March
2-5, 1999
|
6th workshop
Long
Beach, California/
January 2001
|
In
January 2001, the sixth PWRI-USGS workshop was held in Long Beach,
California. The workshop refocused joint activities between the two
organizations into six projects under three broad topical areas, Surface
Water Hydrology; Hillslope and Channel Geomorphology; and Aquatic
Ecology and Water Quality Control. In April 2001, Japan's Ministry
of Construction underwent a major reorganization, and was renamed
the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. As part of this
change, the Public Works Research Institute was divided into two organizations;
a governmental agency renamed the National Institute for Land and
Infrastructure Management (NILIM), and an independent (quasi-governmental)
research institution that retained the name Public Works Research
Institute. As a result of the division of activities, USGS now works
with both NILIM and PWRI. |
|