The Complete magazine for the drilling world:    www.worldwidedrillingresource.com

Environmental Education Enterprise [e3]:    www.e3power.com   e3 is engaged in serving the needs of environmental professionals through the continuation of training in science and technology.

Food and Trees For Africa:    www.trees.co.za   FTFA have approx 13 years experience in running urban greening awareness campaigns.

Groundwater.com:    www.groundwater.com    A valuable Internet resource covering info & news on groundwater.

http://seaborg.mnu.edu/Seaborg/Groundwater/GW.html   Sections under Local Information & Activities are very interesting. The rest is for the more tecnically minded.

High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No 1:    www.hpwd.com   Information on traveling & freestanding exhibits of local aquifers. 

Hydrology Web:    http://etd.pnl.gov:2080/hydroweb.html/   Hydrology Web hosts a comprehensive list of links to Hydrology and related Hydrology resources.

NASA:    www.nasa.gov   By far the best website on the Internet

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]:    www.noaa.gov:    NOAA is the Fedral agency dedicated to enhancing economic security & national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events, and providing environment stewardship of U.S. coastal & marine resources.

Ryan’s Well Foundation:    www.Ryanswell.ca   The Ryan’s Well Foundation will inspire, motivate & empower children, adults & organizations all over the world.

The American Water Works Association [AWWA]:    www.awwa.org   The AWWA is an international nonprofit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply. 

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research [CGIAR]:    http://www.cgiar.org/   The World Bank led the effort to create the CGIAR, co-sponsored by FAO & UNDP, to establish a consultative group for international agricultural research.

The European Environment Agency [EEA]:    www.eea.eu.intThe EEA is the main source of information used by the European Union States in developing environmental policies.

The Ground Water Association of Kwa-Zulu Natal:    www.gakzn.co.za   Mission: To promote & protect the interests of the members of the Association & assisting in the protection & responsible development of the ground water resources in Kwa-Zulu-Natal.

The Ground Water Division of the Geological Society of South Africa:    www.icon.co.za/gwd
Mission: To serve the Scientific sector of the ground water community in Southern Africa, for the advancement of the science & technology of ground water.

The Ground Water Division Western Cape:    www.gwdwc.co.za:    Mission: To serve the Scientific sector of the ground water community in Southern Africa, for the advancement of the science & technology of ground water.

The Groundwater Foundation:    www.groundwater.org   This site covers the more basic information on groundwater.

The International Association of Hydrogeologists:    www.iah.org/   A Scientific & educational organization whose aims are to promote research into & understanding the proper management & protection of groundwater.

The Journey of Water – getting to the Source of Springs. A click through presentation to understand the ‘journey of water’. Learn about the water cycle & how an estimated  2 quadrillion gallons of water moves through the aquifer supporting springs & the residents of Florida, USA.

The International Development Research Centre [IDRC]:    www.idrc.ca   The IDRC is a [ublic corporation created to help developing countries find long-term solutions to the social, economic, and environmental problems they face. Of particular interest is the 'IDRC Resource Clock' [also known as the World Human and Natural Resources Clock], this is located in the head office of Canada's International Development Research Centre & shows both the dramatic increase in world population & the continuous decline of productive lands.

The Mvula Trust:    www.mvula.co.za   Mvula Trust is the largest water & sanitation NGO in South Africa

The Physics Factbook is an encyclopedia of scientific essays written by students that can be used by anybody. You want to know the volume of water consumed in the US? You will find it here.:     www.hypertextbook.com

Scientific Information Search Engine:    www.scirus.com   Provides 356,914 results of interesting scientific information on groundwater alone. Plays music while you search – very cool.

The South African Association of Geotechnologists:    www.saag.co.za   Mission: To sustain & ensure a high level of internationally acceptable professionalism & ethical conduct. To meet the needs of the mining industry & community at large & to provide a quality service to members.

The South African Bureau of Standards:    www.sabs.co.za   Everything you ever wanted to know about S.A. Standards. The BWA initiated SABS standards for the Ground Water Industry - SANS 10299 - 0:2003

The Stockholm International Water Institute [SIWI]:    www.siwi.org   SIWI is a policy think tank that contributes to international efforts to combat the world's escalating water crisis & also administers the Stockholm Water prize/Junior Water Prize &  the Industry Water Award which draw attention to water - for the Stockholm Water Foundation.

The United Nations Children's Fund:    www.unicef.org   UNICEF is the largest organisation in the world dedicated to improving the lives of children, their families and their communities.

The United States Geological Survey [USGS]:    www.usgs.gov   The USGS's information on biological resources, natural hazards & groundwater availability, is helping society solve many of today's pressing issues.

Umgeni Water www.umgeni.co.za was established in 1974 and is one of Africa's most successful organisations involved in water management and the largest bulk water supplier in the provence of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa. It is one of the largest catchment based water utility in Southern Africa, sullpying some 340 000 000 kilolitres of clean, safe drinking water to almost 4,8 million people annually.

The WSP is an international partnership of the world's leading development agencies concerned with water and sanitation services for the poor.

The Water Institute of South Africa:    www.wisa.co.za    Building Expertise, Sharing Knowledge & Improving Quality of Life

The Water Research Commission:    www.wrc.org.za    The WRC's terms of reference are basically to promote coordination, communication and cooperation in the field of water research.

Water Environment Federation:    www.wef.org   Some interesting information with useful Fact Sheets etc.

Working for Water Programme:    http://www.dwaf.gov.za/wfw/   The WFW programme, is a multi departmental initiative led by the Departments of Water Affairs and Forestry, Environmental Affairs and Tourism and Agriculture. With 300 projects throughout South Africa, the programme aims to enhance water security, improve ecological integrity, restore the productive potential of land & promote sustainable use of natural resources & invest in the most marginalized sectors of South African society. 

World Meteorological Organization [WMO]:    www.wmo.ch   From weather prediction to air pollution research, climate change related activities, ozone layer depletion studies & tropical storm forecasting, the WMO coordinates global scientific activity.

World Wildlife Fund [WWF]   :    www.worldwildlife.org   Known worldwide by it's Panda logo, WWF is dedicated to protecting the world's wildlife and wildlands.

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is an international nonprofit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply. AWWA is defined by six core competencies, through which we communicate and interact with all of our audiences. More information about each competency is available by clicking the links listed across the top of every page on the website. Together, the competencies distinguish AWWA as the authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of drinking water in North America and beyond. Founded in 1881, AWWA is the largest organization of water supply professionals in the world. Its more than 50,000 members represent the full spectrum of the drinking water community: treatment plant operators and managers, scientists, environmentalists, manufacturers, academicians,regulators, and others who hold genuine interest in water supply and public health. Membership includes more than 4,000 utilities that supply water to roughly 180 million people in North America.For more information go to www.awwa.org You will find an interesting exercise on http://www.awwa.org/advocacy/learn/conserve/dripcalc.cfm where you can work out the daily, monthly, yearly wastage of water in drips per minute for leaking taps etc.

Hydrology Web is a site that hosts a comprehensive list of links to Hydrology and related Hydrology resources. This site is maintained within the Hydrology Group of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory by Tim Scheibe. For more information go to http://etd.pnl.gov:2080/hydroweb.html

The March 2003 Third World Water Forum in Kyoto further defined needed policies that are more ambitious. During preparations for the Forum, SUEZ put forth the European Water Initiative to support the inclusion of topics designed to facilitate implementation of the Johannesburg objectives. In addition to defining national water-access policies, a proposal was made to create a world observatory to inventory scientifically the different levels of drinking water and sanitation services available to populations in each country. The published materials originating from this observatory will constitute a baselinefor measuring results achieved by major players such as national governments and international institutions. For more information go to www.suez-lyonnaise.com

The original boundaries of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 were delineated in March 1951 by the Texas State Board of Water Engineers. ‘The Water District was not created to do away with the rights of the individual but rather….to maintain those….rights and….provide for orderly development and wise use of our water’--- Allan White, Editor, The Cross Section, March 1956. A new traveling exhibit depicting the geologic features of the Ogallala aquifer was developed by the district’s technical division staff. ‘There is a common misconception that the Ogallala aquifer is an underground lake or river receiving recharge from snow melt in the Rocky Mountains,’ said High Plains Water District manager, Jim Conkwright. The freestanding display features an artist’s representation of the Ogallala aquifer in the Southern High Plains of Texas. Among the geologic features shown, are aquifer recharge near playa basins; water migration through the aquifer; saturated and unsaturated zones; the static water table; caliche layers; and lacustrine (lake) beds. ‘This is the first in a series of displays designed to give the public a better understanding of their ground water resource and how they can conserve it,’ said Conkwright. For more information go to www.hpwd.com

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is the leading public body in Europe dedicated to providing sound, independent information on the environment to policy-makers and the public. Operational in Copenhagen since 1994, the EEA is the hub of the European environment information and observation network (Eionet), a network of around 300 bodies across Europe through which it collects and disseminates environment – related data and information. An EU body, the Agency is open to all nations that share its objectives. It currently has 31 member countries: the 25 EU Member States, the 3 EU candidate countries – Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey – and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Membership negotiations are under way with Switzerland. The EEA aims to support sustainable development and to help achieve significant and measurable improvement in Europe’s environment through the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy making agents and the public. For more information on the EEA’s involvement in environmental issues, go to www.org.eea.eu.int

Living Lakes – a global initiative for lake protection. Clean water is indispensable for all living beings. Living Lakes is a global network of private and governmental organizations striving for the protection of lakes world -wide. In many regions, the supply of drinking water depends on living lakes. Industrial and agricultural waste -water as well as domestic sewage, threaten lakes and wetlands all over the world. Wetlands are drained and often disappear completely. The ecological balance is in danger dead fish and the alarming decline of migratory birds, are obvious signals. For more information on the Living Lakes of the world, go to www.livinglakes.org & www.globalnature.org

Rand Water – South Africa. Rand Water’s message to consumers is that water is precious and scarce. If ‘we’ all work together in the spirit of ‘izandla ziyagezana’ (One hand washes the other), to pay for water and use it wisely, we can all contribute to the task of managing water for the future. At present, South Africa is classified as a water-stressed country as we have less than 1,700 cubic metres of water for each person per year. If we don’t learn how to use our limited supplies wisely, we will move into a water-scarcity category of less than 1,000 cubic metres per person per year, by 2025. Rand Water have a simple standard to ensure the healthiest, cleanest tap water is received. A lifetime guarantee. Simply put, they guarantee that you can drink  two litres of their water every day for life, without any negative effects. In other words, there will be no accumulation of harmful minerals in your body whatsoever. They guarantee it. By working together with all communities, local authorities and government, they can deliver services you can always trust. It’s something they have been doing for a hundred years. In 2001, Rand Water were honoured by the wildlife and Environment Society of S.A. in recognition of their commitment to conservation and environmental improvement. For more information on Rand Water, call their Customer Service Centre 086101060 or visit their website, www.randwater.co.za

EnviroKids magazine started as Toktokkie in 1972, so for over 30 years it has been South Africa’s best children’s environmental magazine. The aim of the magazine is to promote awareness and an interest in the environment, and to encourage children to ‘help care for the Earth’. For more information on this valuable magazine, visit their website, www.wildlifesociety.org.za/publicationsEKids.htm

Nothing whatsoever to do with water, but thought it worthy to get a mention as everyone was taken with this programme when it aired on DSTV recently. Visit the Tiger Island project website (if you can, make a donation to a worthy cause), www.openworldthailand.com If you missed it watch for a repeat, as the monks & Tigers of ‘Temple of the Tigers’, are something out of this world to watch!

Why a Drought Monitoring Desk? - www.weathersa.co.za/DroughtMonitor/WhyDMDesk.jsp -  Drought is a normal, recurrent feature of the South African climate. Droughts have in the past resulted in significant economic, environmental, and social impacts and highlight our continuing vulnerability with regards to this natural phenomenon. During periods of low rainfall, policy makers, agriculturalists, business people and the general public often require additional information regarding rainfall for decision making and planning. With this in mind, the South African Weather Service decided to create a drought monitoring desk, where information regarding observed rainfall and long-range forecast could be presented in one place for easy access. It also provides an opportunity for people to compare this year’s rainfall figures with figures from previously dry periods. It is hoped that this information will assist people in their decision and planning practices.

The Global Water Research Coalition - www.globalwaterresearchcoalition.net/ -  Water, for some, so commonplace, and for others, so special. To give every human being access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation will be a major challenge in the coming decades. The water industry itself is in an era of increased regulation and keener public interest in water issues. The time is ripe for water research organizations to join together to face tough issues that cross national boundaries. Twelve leading research organizations across the world saw this compelling need for a coordinated effort to promote advancement in water science. They came together to address that urgency by establishing an international water research alliance – the Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC). The Global Water Research Coalition is dedicated to promoting international cooperation and collaboration in water-related research. The GWRC was officially formed in April 2002 with the signing of the partnership agreement at the International Water Association 3^rd World Water Congress. (The Water Research Commission of South Africa, is a member of GWRC!).

UNESCO Water Portal - www.unesco.org/water/about.shtml - . The UNESCO Water Portal is intended to enhance access to information related to freshwater available on the World Wide Web. The site provides links to the current UNESCO and UNESCO-led programmes on freshwater and will serve as an interactive point for sharing, browsing and searching websites of water-related organizations, government bodies and NGO’s including a range of categories such as water links, water events, learning modules and other on-line resources. Surfers can also add or modify links to help maintain an accurate on-line resource. All water managers are invited to participate by providing information on activities, useful links, news and content which they wish to share with others and generally make more widely available.

SCOPE – www.icsu-scope.org -  Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment. An interdisciplinary body of natural and social science expertise focused on global environmental issues, operating at the interface between scientific and decision-making instances. A world-wide network of scientists and scientific institutions developing syntheses and reviews of scientific knowledge on current or potential environmental issues

Elsevier – http://www.elsevier.com/ is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. Working in partnership with the global science and health communities, Elsevier’s 7,000 employees in 74 offices worldwide, publish more than 1,800 journals and 2,200 new books per year, in addition to offering a suite of innovative electronic products, such as Science Direct (http://www.sciencedirect.com/), MD Consult (http://www.mdconsult.com/), Scopus (http://www.news.scopus.com/), bibliographic databases, online reference works and subject specific portals.

South African National Parks – SANParks used to be known before 1997 as the National Parks Board, and is the company responsible for managing and conserving this spectrum of nature’s finest treasures. The Parks represent some of South Africa’s most important eco-tourism destinations and SANParks is one of the world’s leading conservation and scientific research bodies and a leading proponent of maintaining the indigenous natural environment. This site has recently been revised and upgraded. For more information, go to http://www.sanparks.org/  (Ed’s note: I found the upgrade, a huge improvement).

Census of Marine Life Portal – This site is a portal for the Census of Marine Life. The site is designed to provide quick and easy access to all elements of the Census and basic information about each element for the interested public. For more information, go to http://www.coml.org

Reef Base – gathers available knowledge about coral reefs into one information repository. It is intended to facilitate analyses and monitoring of coral reef health and the quality of life of reef-dependent people, and to support informed decisions about coral reef use and management. Reefbase is the official database of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), as well as the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). The Reefbase Project is housed at the Worldfish Center in Penang, Malaysia, with funding through ICRAN from the United Nations Foundation (UNF). For more information, go to http://www.reefbase.org

The World Water Council – Is the International Water Policy Think Tank dedicated to strengthening the world water movement for an improved management of the world’s water resources and water services. One of the major accomplishments of the Council is its contribution to increasing the awareness of global issues and the political mobilization it has reached through the World Water Forum. Serving as stepping-stones towards global collaboration on water problems, the Forum is a unique platform where the water community and the policy and decision makers from all regions of the world can link together, debate and attempt to find solutions to achieve water security. www.worldwatercouncil.org

Water Words Dictionary – Aqualinga is a multilingual dictionary of technical words and expressions related to the water sector. The project is the result of intensive collaboration and coordinated work among 18 European Institutions, representing  15 European countries. Consequently, the jargon of the water sector has been reproduced in 15 different languages. The dictionary is divided into Sections ranging over many different topics, from drinking water distribution, to wastewater treatment methods. Moreover, each topic presents a variety of subtopics, analysed with written texts and explanatory pictures with captions. Users can hear the correct pronunciation of the subtopic titles and the words in the captions by clicking on them. http://water.nv.gov

The Climatic Research Unit - is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading institutions concerned with the study of natural and anthropogenic climate change. Consisting of a staff of around thirty research scientists and students, the Unit has developed a number of the data sets widely used in climate research, including the global temperature record used to monitor the state of the climate system, as well as statistical software packages and climate models. The aim of the Climatic Research Unit is to improve scientific understanding in three areas:

• Past climate history and its impact on humanity;
• The course and causes of climate change during the present century;
• Prospects for the future.

www.cru.uea.ac.uk

The International Water Association (IWA) -  is a global network of water professionals, spanning the continuum between research and practice and covering all facets of the water cycle.

Collaboration

Through IWA, members collaborate to lead the development of effective and sustainable approaches to water management throughout the world. IWA creates value and drives the advancement of both the science and best practice of water management in cooperation with other similar international efforts.

Geographic Diversity

The ultimate strength of IWA lies in the professional and geographic diversity of its membership that includes academic researchers and research centres, utilities, consultants, regulators, industrial water users and water equipment manufacturers. IWA members from each of these communities represent the leading edge in their fields of specialty, and together are building new frontiers in global water management through interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration.

Complete Water Cycle

IWA and its members are committed to furthering sustainable and holistic resource management and service provision, built on the concept of the complete water cycle.

www.iwahq.org.uk

Conservation International - believes that Earth's natural heritage must be maintained if future generations are to thrive spiritually, culturally and economically. Their mission is to conserve the Earth's living heritage, our global biodiversity, and to demonstrate that human societies are able to live harmoniously with nature. CI applies innovations in science, economics, policy and community participation to protect the Earth's richest regions of plant and animal diversity in the biodiversity hotspots, high-biodiversity wilderness areas as well as important marine regions around the globe. With headquarters in Washington, D.C.; CI works in more than 40 countries on four continents. www.conservation.org 

SANCID - The South African national Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (SANCID) is the sole organization representing South Africa at the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). SANCID is as widely representative as practicable of governmental, quasi-governmental and private organizations as well as learned societies involved in various facets of irrigation, drainage and flood control. www.sancid.org.za 

The World Water Forum - is an initiative of the World Water Council aiming at raising awareness on global water issues. The First Forum was held in Morocco (1997), the Second in The Hague (2000) and the Third, in Japan (2003), the 4th World Water Forum will be held in Mexico City in March 2006, under the overarching theme of 'Local Actions for a Global Challenge' with focus on best practices and knowledge sharing. The Flora has already been established as an open, multi-stakeholder participatory process, which build on the knowledge, experience and input of the global water community and seeks to enable multi-stakeholder participation and dialogue to influence water policy-making at a global level, thus ensuring better living and respect for the principles of sustainable development to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The World Water For a are built on the knowledge and experience of different types of organizations active in the global water policy. It is a venture founded on the principles of collaboration, partnerships and innovation.

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 fiber 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.

IWMI - is a non-profit scientific organization funded by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). IWMI's research agenda is organized around four priority themes covering key issues relating to land, water, livelihoods, health and environment. The Institute concentrates on water and related land management challenges faced by poor rural communities. The challenges are those that effect their nutrition, livelihoods and health, as well as the integrity of environmental services on which these depend. IWMI works through collaborative research with partners in the North and South, to develop tools and practices to help developing countries eradicate poverty and better manage their water and land resources. The immediate target groups of IWMI's research include the scientific community, policy makers, project implementers and individual farmers. www.iwmi.cgiar.org 

NASA's Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) - NASA's goal is to enable users to locate and obtain access to Earth science data sets and services relevant to the global change and Earth science research. The GCMD database holds more than 15,000 descriptions of Earth science data sets and services covering all aspects of Earth and environmental sciences. One can use the search box or select from the available keywords to search for data and services. They encourage users participation in writing and maintaining the information in their databases and there are authoring tools to assist the user in doing so. http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov 

Earth Share - is a nationwide network of America's leading non-profit environmental and conservation organizations, working to promote environmental education and charitable giving through workplace giving campaigns. Earth Share is an opportunity for environmentally conscious employees and workplaces to support hundreds of environmental groups at once through a charitable giving drive. Earth Share's member organizations work hard every day to safeguard your health and the environment, by combating global warming, protecting ancient forests, protecting our water from toxic contaminants, and saving endangered species. www.earthshare.org 

The World Conservation Union - supports and develops cutting-edge conservation science; implements this research in field projects and then links both research and results to local, national, regional and global policy by convening dialogues between governments and the private sector. The priority of the Union's current Programme) 2005 - 2008) is to build recognition of the many ways in which human lives depend on the sustainable management of natural resources. While the idea of conserving the environment has steadily gained political acceptance over the past few decades, people still misuse the goods and services that nature, biodiversity and ecosystems provide to us. For example, 15,589 species of animals and plants are threatened with extinction and many ecosystems - wetlands, forests - are being destroyed, while we know that natural ecosystems provide humans with a large range of highly valuable services. www.iucn.org 

'Tales of Water: A Child's View' - is a multimedia project (photographs, film, TV, print, education, internet) by the Foundation Tales of Water. The Foundation takes up actual water issues by having children from all over the world tell their stories and experiences with water. The different 'Tales of Water' explain these issues in concrete terms, in addition to showing children's personal relations to water. These stories show that all people deal with water on a daily basis and that water is in many ways a life condition. The stories of children bring to attention the unbreakable bond between man and water in a positive manner. With this effort the Foundation wishes to contribute to increasing awareness of the subject matter of water within our target groups. These target groups consist of CEO's, policy makers, organizers and participants of the World Water Forum, and everybody receiving the message of the Forum. Not only will the message be broadcasted in relation to the Forum, but it will also be used after the forum by the IUCN. www.talesofwater.com 

History of Water Filters - www.historyofwaterfilters.com As human industry has grown, water has become more contaminated, water filters have emerged over the centuries in reponse to the growing recognition of the need for pure, clean water to drink!

World Watch - is a bimonthly, nonprofit magazine, written by Worldwatch Institute analysts and guest authors, that tracks key indicators of the Earth’s well-being.They monitor and evaluate changes in climate, forest cover, population, food production, water resources, biological diversity, and other key trends, and identify and analyze the most effective strategies for achieving a sustainable society—including those that come from the advances of science and technology, the rethinking of traditional economics, and the neglected wisdom of now-vanishing indigenous peoples. www.worldwatch.org

The IUCN Red List – Many species are declining to critical population levels, important habitats are being destroyed, fragmented, and degraded, and are being destabilized through climate change, pollution, invasive species, and direct human impacts. At the same time, awareness of how biodiversity supports livelihoods, allows sustainable development and fosters co-operation between nations, generated through products such as the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucn.redlist.org

The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) – Climate Change, Forests, Freshwater, Marine, Species & Toxics Programmes, feature in their programmes of conservation work. www.wwf-species.org

CERU (The Conservation Ecology Research Unit) – Is an academic centre. It’s postgraduate training and research programmes focus on ecological issues that can be applied to enhance conservation in southern Africa. www.up.ac.za

The Afrotheria Specialist Group – The IUCN SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group facilitates the conservation of hydraxes, the aardvark, elephant – shrews or sengis, golden – moles, tenrecs, and their habitats. www.calacademy.org

Charliesbirgblog – If you are a bird lover, then this website is for you. www.charliesbirdblog.com

Water Wise Websites

SANBI – South African National Biodiversity Institute – Working for Wetlands rehabilitation projects are intended to produce sustainable environmental outcomes, using implementation models that simultaneously contribute to the employment creation and skills transfer objectives of government’s Expanded Public Works Programme. Funding for these activities is provided by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to SANBI, the home of the programme.The Philosophy of Working for Wetlands is underpinned by five interlinked pillars, without which appropriate, effective and sustainable wetland rehabilitation would not be possible. These pillars are: rehabilitation interventions; partnerships at national, provincial and project level; development of appropriate capacity; communication, education and public awareness (CEPA); and research. All rehabilitation interventions are undertaken within the context of improving the integrity and functioning of the ecosystem, and include measures that address both causes and effects of degradation. A guiding principle is that of raising awareness and influencing behaviour and practices impacting on wetlands, rather than focusing exclusively on engineering solutions. http://wetlands.sanbi.org

EWT – Endangered Wildlife Trust – The Endangered Wildlife Trust was established in 1973. The Trust’s first fundraising effort was also its founding moment… the moment when Clive Walker was inspired to paint a watercolour of a Cheetah, to sell 250 signed, numbered copies, and to use this money to help conserve the Cheetah that was, and in some places still is, shot as vermin.The founding vision of saving threatened species in a direct, hands-on way and at minimal cost has never been lost. It has, however, been broadened to include species, their habitats and ecosystems, and the role of surrounding communities and landowners. As Clive, on of the three founding members puts it: ‘If the universal slogan was ‘Who cares about Rhino anyway?’, we would be a short step away from applying that mindless slogan to ourselves.’ Two of South Africa’s three crane species, Wattled and Grey crowned, are dependant on wetlands. The Overberg Crane Group (OCG) and the Northern Cape Department of Tourism, Environment and Conservation (NC DTEC) as well as staff of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s South African Crane Working Group (EWT-SACWG) have been ringing cranes for many years, but given the size of South Africa, it is not easy for this handful of crane conservationists alone to locate the birds for ringing and re-sighting. So, to further enhance the information gathered through the rings, they are asking the public to assist them by recording and reporting crane sightings, which will make a meaningful contribution to the conservation of our threatened three crane species. There are some 900 colour-ringed cranes across South Africa. www.ewt.org.za

EPA – Environmental Protection Agency – The EPA employs 17,000 people across the country, including their headquarters offices in Washington, DC, 10 regional offices, and more than a dozen labs. Their staff are highly educated and technically trained; more than half are engineers, scientists, and policy analysts. In addition, a large number of employees are legal, public affairs, financial, information management and computer specialists. www.epa.gov

WaterAid - WaterAid is an international non-governmental organization dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world’s poorest people. WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and effective sanitation. These most basic services are essential to life, without them, vulnerable communities are trapped in the stranglehold of disease and poverty.  www.wateraid.org

UNICEF – UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. They have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. They believe that nurturing and caring for children is the cornerstone of human progress. www.unicef.org

Time for Kids – Time for Kids has a lot of education based links that could be of interest to children looking for information for their homework projects. www.timeforkids.com

USGS for Kids – This website has a special section for children which gives them pictures, data & maps covering the subject of water. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/

CWEC (The Children’s Water Education Council) – CWEC’s goal is to foster decision makers, initiate the process of behavioural change and to empower children to initiate change within their homes, schools and communities. To encourage children to become catalysts for change by taking information and new found respect back to their own environment. Their website has a lot of educational value for children. www.cwec.ca

EPA – Water for Kids – EPA leads the nation’s environment science, research, education and assessment efforts. Their – Water for Kids – section has a lot of links leading to water education websites for children. www.epa.gov

RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) – By providing information, advice, resources and training. RoSPA is actively involved in the promotion of safety and the prevention of accidents in all areas of life – at work, in the home, and on the roads, in schools, at leisure and on (or near) water. www.rospa.com

WaterWeb –The WaterWeb consortium has been created to promote the sharing of information concerning water and the earth’s environment. The organization has a global focus with initial participants from North, Central & South America and Europe. The WaterWeb is built on the premise of improving communications and information access to help address the world’s water problems. www.waterweb.org

Development Gateway – Development Gateway Foundation (DGF) is an international nonprofit organization with the mission to reduce poverty and enable change in developing nations through information technology. The tools on this website bring together people and organizations around the globe who are working to improve life in developing countries. www.developmentgateway.org

Vetiver Network (Int) – The Vetiver System is a low cost and efficient system for soil and water conservation, infrastructure stabilization, pollution control, waste water treatment, mitigation and prevention of storm damage and many other applications. Vetiver Grass, vetiver zizanioides, is the main component to all Vetiver System based bioengineering and conservation applications. The plant is unique. It can be used in the tropics and semi-tropics, and areas such as Italy and California that have a Mediterranean type climate where there are hot summers and winters are temperate. The roots of the grass have an average tensile strength of Mpa 75 and improve the shear strength of soil by between 30 and 40%. www.vetiver.com

ICOLD – The International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) is a non-governmental International Organization, which provides a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience in dam engineering. The organization leads the profession in ensuring that dams are built safely, efficiently, economically, and without detrimental effects on the social and natural environment.

The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research – Interested in Polar research, then this is the site for you. The Alfred Wegener Institute, established as a public Foundation in 1980, conducts research in the Arctic, the Antarctic and at temperate latitudes. It co-ordinates Polar research in Germany and provides both the necessary equipment and the essential logistic back-up for Polar expeditions. www.awi.de/institute

The Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water – This international scientific prize is a significant contribution from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the global water issues which represent one of the most pressing human, economic and political concerns worldwide. The Prize is intended to reward the efforts undertaken by innovative scholars and scientists as well as applied organizations in the realm of water resources worldwide. The Prize is established to acknowledge the special achievements that have contributed to the development of scientific solutions to solve the problems associated with the provision as well as the preservation of adequate and sustainable water resources, particularly in arid regions. Nominations for the Prize must be received by end December 2007. For more information & nomination forms go to their website www.psipw.org

Screenscope – was founded by Marilyn & Hal Weiner who have produced, written, and directed over 225 documentaries, a dozen ‘after-school’ TV dramas, four public television series, and over 100 television commercials. They have also produced three feature films (family Business, The Imagemaker, and K2). The Weiners are among the USA’s most honoured filmmakers, winning 130 top international awards from film festivals in Venice, Moscow, Rome, Krakow, Belgrade, Berlin, Washington, New York, etc. Their work has received 3 EMMY nominations and 2 EMMY awards, plus numerous other awards for their outstanding work. Their current project is – Journey to Planet Earth, a continuing PBS (USA Television Channel) series of one-hour prime-time specials dealing with important global environmental issues. For more on this and other interesting subject matter, visit their website www.screenscope.com  you could also visit the PBS website www.pbs.org

Water Technology – established in 1972, SPG Media PLC is an international business-to-business media company providing world-class controlled circulation magazines, internet reference portals, business conferences and forums. www.Water-technology.net  is used daily as a means of creating partnerships and as a point of reference by professionals within the water industry. This comprehensive resource supplies the latest news releases, detailed information on industry projects, white papers, event information and a thorough breakdown of products and services.

The Masdar Initiative – The Masdar Initiative is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted, multi-billion dollar investment in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in renewable, alternative and sustainable energies as well as sustainable design. Masdar is driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), a wholly owned company of the government of Abu Dhabi through the Mubadala Development Company. In January 2008, Abu Dhabi announced it will invest $15-billion in Masdar, the largest single government investment of its kind. For more information about the Masdar Initiative, please visit www.masdaruae.com

DWAF’s Artificial Recharge Strategy – The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry recently published their Artificial Recharge Strategy. This is now available for viewing on their website http://www.dwaf.gov.za. (Ed: Not easy to find, look on their homepage under What’s News!)

Saharan Groundwater Dated a Million Years Old – The Meditteranean Sea was a desert, millions of years ago. In contrast, the Sahara Desert was once a lush, green landscape dotted with lakes and ponds. Evidence of this past verdancy lies hidden beneath the sands of Egypt and Libya, in the form of a huge aquifer of fresh groundwater. An international team of geologists and physicists found that this groundwater has been flowing slowly northward (at the rate the grass grows) for the past million years. Their findings were accepted for publication in ‘Geophysical Research Letters’, published in 2004 by the American Geophysical Union. For more on this interesting subject visit their website http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/prrl/prr10411.html

Worldwatch Institute’s global goals for 2008 – 1. Building a low carbon energy system that dramatically reduces the use of fossil fuels and reduces greenhouse gas emissions; 2. Creating a win-win food system that reduces the number of malnourished people while reducing the impact on environmental health and climate; 3. Guiding the transition to a sustainable global economy that meets human needs and is in balance with the biosphere, as outlined in the upcoming ‘State of the World 2008: Innovations for a Sustainable Global Economy. They have exciting new Web initiatives planned, so keep checking out their website at www.worldwatch.org  

King County Educating Children King County located on Puget Sound in Washington State, is nearly twice as large as the average county in the United States. It ranks 13th most populous county in the nation. King County provides regional, sub-regional & local services to all residents of the county. They have groundwater educational page on their website that has an animated story of groundwater that all children should watch to understand what groundwater is all about. Go to www.kingcounty.gov/environment/waterandland/groundwater/education 

The National Ground Water Association of America Also has a webpage for children www.groundwateradventurers.org  Also, visit their homepage for information on their 2008 NGWA Ground Water Expo, 2 – 5 December, Las Vegas, Nevada www.ngwa.org 

Water Research Commission Climate Change: A new focus area for the WRC. Climate change requires both understanding and adaptability. In order to meet with the challenges of the future the WRC has included this critical focus area in its endeavours to develop adaptive strategies to ensure sustainability of the country’s water resources and services in the face of continuous changes in climatic conditions and potential events, which may severely affect existing infrastructure or diminish further our scarce water resources. For more information visit their website. www.wrc.org.za  

Groundwater in Caves

www.cangocaves.co.za

www.karstwaters.org

www.whitescarcave.co.uk

http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/zoomorphology/groundwater.html