Programmes of the IAEA in Isotope Hydrology

• Man's impact on water resources including investigations of:
  • surface and groundwater pollution
  • the dynamics of slow moving groundwater for the hydrogeological appraisal of radioactive waste disposal sites
  • urban hydrology
  • radionuclide transport in freshwater systems

• Water resources in arid and semi-arid regions:
  • estimating water balance
  • mapping of palaeowaters
  • investigating water movement in the unsaturated zone

• Geothermal resources:
  • exploring and identifying the origin of reservoir fluids
  • defining the physical and chemical parameters of the geothermal reservoir for optimal exploitation

• Environmental changes:
  • investigating atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to reconstruct and predict man-induced changes
  • analyzing soil erosion and sedimentation in lakes and reservoirs

• Improvement and application of new techniques addressing:
  • flow and transport dynamics in groundwater
  • responses of water systems to long-term exploitation
  • investigations of lake dynamics
  • establishment of global isotope hydrology database

• Analytical services and quality assurance including:
  • organizing international analytical intercomparison programmes
  • producing and applying analytical standards
  • determination of isotope ratios in rain and atmospheric gases
  • establishment of a monitoring network for rivers

• Dissemination of techniques through:
  • manuals, teaching materials and publications
  • training programmes, seminars and workshops

• Technical support to the IAEA's Technical Co-operation programme.