Special Session and Side Event

No.	Session Type	Title of the Session	Alignment with Congress	Organizers	Session Introduction
1	Special Session	Flash flood disaster prevention of small mountainous watersheds under climate change	Subtheme 1:Water-related Hazard and Risk Reduction	UNESCO Center for Integrated and Multidisciplinary Water Resources Management AUTh (CIMWRM) Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute	Due to the complex physical process and strong sudden occurrence， it is difficult to predict and prevent flash floods, particularly for small mountainous catchments that often lack of data. The situation is worsening due to the uncertainty of climate change. Therefore, we would like to hold a special session to establish a platform for knowledge exchange and sharing. The special session will be held as a seminar, and the keynote reports will focus on the mechanism of flash flood disasters in small mountainous watersheds and its early warning scheme under climate change. Domestic and international experts will be invited to discuss the following topics: (1) the tendency of rainstorms at the small mountain watershed under global climate change, (2) rainfall monitoring and forecasting, (3) formation and evolution mechanism of flash floods, (4) sediment transport and bed evolution driven by flash flood， and（5）natural based solutions to mitigate flash flood disaster. It is expected that the knowledge of flash floods of small mountainous catchments will be greatly enhanced through the exchanges of mind and thoughts during the special session.
2	Special Session	Intelligent prevention and control of Water safety in the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (Yangtze River Conservation Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum)	Subtheme 1: Water-related Hazard and Risk Reduction	Wuhan Science and Technology Innovation Bureau	In the context of global climate change and increasingly scarce water resources, the Yangtze River Basin, as one of China's most important water systems, its water security issues directly affect the national economic security, ecological security and people's well-being. The Yangtze River Middle Reaches Urban Agglomeration, as the core area of the Yangtze River Basin, covers important cities in multiple provinces such as Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi, and its water security situation is particularly noteworthy. The conference, with the theme of "Water Security Risks and Intelligent Prevention and Control in the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Urban Agglomeration," aims to gather government representatives, experts, industry elites, and forces from all walks of life to jointly explore the challenges faced by water resources, water ecology, water environment, and water disasters, share the latest achievements in intelligent prevention and control technologies, and promote the establishment of a comprehensive water security guarantee system for the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Urban Agglomeration, providing a solid support for sustainable development of the region.
3	Special Session	Identification of medium and long-term scale droughts and floods	Subtheme 1: Water-related Hazard and Risk Reduction	Hubei Key Laboratory of Intelligent Yangtze and Hydroelectric Science, China Yangtze Power Co.,Ltd	With the intensification of global climate change, extreme weather events have become more frequent, and water disaster risk reduction has emerged as a major global concern. Droughts and floods, as the most common natural disasters, significantly impact agricultural production, water resource management, urban safety, and ecological environments. To effectively address drought and flood disasters and enhance medium-to-long-term identification capabilities, this special session aims to bring together domestic and international experts and scholars to jointly explore the causes, identification methods, prediction models, and prevention strategies of drought and flood disasters.
4	Special Session	Optimization and scheduling of cascade reservoirs	Subtheme 2: Integrated Water Resources Management	Hubei Key Laboratory of Intelligent Yangtze and Hydroelectric Science, China Yangtze Power Co.,Ltd	As the global water scarcity issue intensifies, the efficient and sustainable management and utilization of water resources have become significant challenges faced by the international community. Cascaded reservoir systems, as crucial tools for water resources regulation, play a pivotal role in flood control, irrigation, water supply, hydropower generation, and ecological maintenance. To achieve scientific allocation and rational utilization of water resources, the optimal operation of cascaded reservoirs is of paramount importance. This special session focuses on the optimal operation of cascaded reservoirs under the theme of comprehensive water resources management, aiming to explore the latest theoretical achievements, technological innovations, and practical experiences.
5	Special Session	From the white river to green river – monitoring, modeling and management in the Monsoon-affected regions	Subtheme 3: Eco-hydraulics and Environment	Beijing Normal University Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) Saitama University Sejong University	The riparian landscapes around the world have been changing from those dominated by white sand/gravel bars to increasingly greener ones covered with grass, shrubs, and mature trees. This shift has critical implications for river management and riverine ecological functions such as biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. The interactions between the vegetation dynamics ranging from the individual to community level throughout the plant life history and the fluvial processes, i.e. bio-geomorphological or eco-geomorphological processes have gained increasing attention to explore the patterns and underlying mechanisms of the changing landscape. Such interactions are subject to human interventions in flow and sediment regimes and water quality conditions, etc. The peculiar climatic pattern and frequent occurrence of extreme weather events in the monsoon-affected regions in East and Southeast Asia add further complexity. Facing the growing threat from anthropogenic activities and climate change, researches focus on above-mentioned issues are imperative in riparian systems. This special session targets presentations related to the riparian vegetation and bio-/eco-geomorphological processes in monsoon regions, and the development of relevant monitoring, modeling and management approaches. Case studies focusing on above topics in different monsoon regions and covering various management scenarios such as hydrological regulations are highly welcomed. Novel research presented in the special session is eligible for publication in quality peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Ecohydraulics.
6	Special Session	Mountain River Protection and Management	Subtheme 3: Eco-hydraulics and Environment	Sichuan University	This special session aims to bring some discussions together on our special focus on mountainous rivers, covering topics including mountainous river evolution and function protection, ecological conservation and systematic river management, and disaster mitigation and risk control. We hope the discussions enhance our understanding on the scientific issues such as (1) the water flow and material transport in mountainous rivers involved in both interaction between engineering and natural rivers and interaction between the deep, shallow and surface conditions, (2) the ecological evolution of high-altitude and arid-hot river valleys and the ecological evolution patterns of river water systems, and (3) the mechanisms of water-related, sediment-related and debris flow-related flash flood disasters in mountainous rivers. We would also like to bring attention to key technological challenges for protecting the mountain river continuity, restoring the mountain river function and fragile ecosystems, and facilitating early warning for all types of flash flood disasters, risk assessment and treatment for landslide dams, and mountainous river disaster chain mitigation. We believe the discussions could inspire new understanding and collaborative research ideas about the long-term and rapid evolution mechanism of mountainous rivers, the mechanisms of river water ecology, high-altitude and arid-hot river valley ecological evolution, and the mechanisms of all types of mountainous river disasters.
7	Special Session	Collaborative governance of water resources, water environment and water ecology in large lake basins	Subtheme 3: Eco-hydraulics and Environment	Jiangxi Academy of Water Science and Engineering	Large lake basins, contain rich water resources and biodiversity, forming a key part of earth ecosystems. However, with increasing human activities and rapid economic growth, non-point source pollution has worsened, water quality is declining, biodiversity is under threat, and the risk of soil erosion persists. Addressing these issues requires an integrated approach to the governance of water resources, the water environment, and water ecology—vital for both ecological security and the sustainable future of large lake basins.This specialized conference will explore both theoretical and technical aspects of "Collaborative governance of water resources, water environment and water ecology in large lake basins." These discussions will offer new perspectives on water ecological protection and governance, not only for the Asia-Pacific region but also globally, reinvigorating academic research and fostering international collaboration in water and environmental engineering.
8	Special Session	Collaborative development of regional Water-Energy-Food system	Subtheme 4: Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Sustainable Economic Development	Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute Hohai University	Population growth and economic wellbeing cause a sharp increase in food demand which is achieved through the expansion of agriculture. Being a major component of food production, water demand increases rapidly with agricultural extension. The available rainfall is insufficient in many regions to supply the required water for food production, which causes a rise in irrigated agriculture with economic development. The linkage of irrigation with energy makes a nexus among water, energy and food (WEF). The security of water-food-energy systems has become one of the three major sources of risk in the world, which is a key factor affecting global social stability and economic development, and a core content of the realization of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). The objective of this Special Session is to invite experts from the Asia Pacific region to discuss on the balance in existing WEF nexus, possible impacts of climate change on WEF nexus and identify the regulatory mechanisms required for mitigation of climate change impacts on WEF and achieve long-term sustainability in natural resources.
9	Special Session	Effective Water Management Solutions to Achieve SDG6 in the Context of Global Change	Subtheme 5: Climate Change: Adaptation, Mitigation and Resilience	UNESCO Center for Integrated and Multidisciplinary Water Resources Management AUTh (CIMWRM) , Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute	In order to fulfill Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) - "Clean Water and Sanitation" - there are several important challenges that must be addressed, including pollution, water scarcity, flood risks, and inadequate access to clean water. The future is becoming more unpredictable and unstable as a result of population expansion, urbanization, and climate change. To guarantee water security for all, we must develop sustainable water solutions. It is essential to take a comprehensive approach that incorporates cutting-edge technologies, adaptive strategies for water security and community participation to fulfill SDG 6 in the volatile and uncertain future we live. This special session discusses a. the development of sustainable and resilient water management strategies; b. the development of innovative water technologies and climate resilient water infrastructures to increase efficiency and c. Different capacity development activities to strengthen partnerships and collaborations to accomplish SDG 6 targets.
10	Special Session	Construction and innovative application of Digital twin river basin	Subtheme 6: Smart Water	Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute China Three Gorges University	Digital twin basin is the core and key of smart water conservancy, the main driver to cultivate and lead new productivity in water conservancy, a significant symbol to promote the high-quality development of water conservancy, and one of the six implementation paths. Through the construction of digital twin basin, it enriches computational data, optimizes algorithms, enhances computing power, and supports various water conservancy services such as flood control and disaster reduction, and water resources management and allocation to achieve the "four precautions" function. It conducts digital mapping, intelligent simulation, and forward-looking preview of the entire process of basin governance and management. The conference is themed "Construction and innovative application of Digital twin river basin", focusing on core technologies such as smart sensing, model platform, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. It aims to share the latest cutting-edge technologies and theories of digital twin, study the innovative applications of new technologies in different scenarios, explore the specific paths for the construction of digital twin basin, display actual cases and successful practices, jointly promote the extensive application and sustainable development of digital twin technology, drive the modernization of the basin governance system and governance capabilities through innovation, and contribute to the high-quality development of the global water conservancy.
11	Special Session	Sustainable sediment management in reservoirs	Subtheme 7：Sediment Regulation and Management	Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute	Reservoirs formed by dams are a key part of water resource development, serving diverse purposes such as water supply, flood and drought control, irrigation, hydropower generation. However, the continuity of sediment transport through river systems has been widely interrupted by dams, causing sediment to accumulate within the reservoirs. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct sustainable sediment management in reservoirs to ensure their functioning, which has been a key issue in the global reservoir utilization. By collecting case studies from all over the world, this Special Session will provide an up-to-date picture of how sediments are managed or mismanaged in reservoirs, pointing out future study direction and policy guidelines. We welcome abstracts that consider sediment management from multiple points of view and cover all spatiotemporal scales, spanning from understanding key processes to transdisciplinary studies and policy and management strategies. Selected contributions will be invited to submit an extended version as a chapter for the book series of GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences. The Session is supported by the IAHR Working Group on Reservoir Sedimentation (https://www.iahr.org/index/committe/105).
12	Special Session	Estuaries and coast / Water & sediment management for deltas	Subtheme 8: Estuarine and Coastal Engineering	East China Normal University, Delft University of Technology	The societal problems in delta areas are directly related to the three groups of functions of these areas: coastal safety, economic and societal activities including navigation and fresh water supply, and ecosystem integrity. These functions need to be balanced but are conflicting in view of rising costs of coastal defense, fairway and port maintenance, and falling biodiversity. Today’s choices for water and sediment management measures may put adaptation to climate change and SLR at risk. Sustainable water and sediment management for deltas requires thorough understanding of estuarine and coastal systems. This is the reason why many studies have been / are being carried out on hydrodynamics and morphodynaimcs under influence of environmental changes and human interferences of estuaries and coasts worldwide. At this special session 6 recent studies on this subject will be presented.
13	Side Event	Exclusive Meeting on Engineering for Holistic Water Management – Data for Water IAHR	/	International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)	Themed “Engineering for Holistic Water Management – Data for Water”, this closed meeting aims to foster an in-depth dialogue on the evolving role of engineering in achieving holistic water management. As water-related challenges become increasingly complex due to rapid urbanization, climate change, and environmental degradation, there is a pressing need for integrated solutions that consider the entire water cycle, balance human and ecological needs, and promote sustainability. Within its Strategic Plan 2024-2027, IAHR has identified 4 thematic priorities areas that catalyze the more urgent challenges for the water sector. The objective of IAHR and its partners is to elaborate and deliver solutions that significantly contribute to addressing these challenges. Each IAHR event offers the opportunity to engage with the water community and to formulate solutions that will be shared with the actors and stakeholders of the water sector. This meeting will serve as a platform for invited participants to share their experiences, insights, and contributions to advancing holistic water management practices in their respective regions and to address in priority the key issue of “data for water”. This meeting will bring together the representatives not only from IAHR’s institute members and national chapters in the Asia and Pacific, but also high-profile figures from national water-related associations and societies to get to know IAHR’s Strategic Plan 2024-2027, talk about their views on holistic water management as well as their contributions, and exchange with their counterparts in this region. This gathering of diverse stakeholders will provide a unique opportunity for networking, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas, with the goal of enhancing regional cooperation in water management.
14	Side Event	Mentoring Course on Journal Paper Writing APD YPN Activity	/	International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)	Publishing research findings in international journals is crucial for career advancement and knowledge dissemination. However, early-career researchers and students often face significant challenges in navigating the article writing and journal publication process, lacking sufficient guidance and experience. This short course aims to bridge this gap by providing practical insights and valuable feedback on submitted articles (published or unpublished) and to equip young researchers and professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to write impactful journal papers in an innovative way. Instead of the traditional way of listening to lectures, the interaction between the “writers” and the “reviewers” is highlighted in this course. Editors of international journals will be invited to read and review articles (submitted beforehand) before the course. During this course, the “writers” will have 10 minutes each to present their articles. Following the presentation, an assigned editor will provide constructive feedback on the paper’s strengths and weaknesses. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in a discussion about the presented research and the editor’s feedback. This short course aims to achieve the following outcomes: (1) Empower young researchers and professionals with the practical skills and knowledge needed to write compelling journal papers. (2) Provide valuable, personalized feedback from experienced editors to help participants improve their manuscripts. (3) Create a supportive environment for students and early-career researchers and foster exchange within the broader IAHR community.
15	Side Event	Meet Editors of JHER	/	Yonsei University of Korea National University of Singapore	The tentative title of the session may be "Meet Editors of JHER (Journal of Hydro-Environment Research)" The tentative contents of the presentations are (1) Elements of a good paper in JHER (by Professor Law at NUS in Singapore)” Professor Law, Editor of JHER, will give a general talk about how to write a good paper. (2) History, current status, and future strategic plans for JHER (by Professor Choi at Yonsei University, Korea) Professor Choi, Editor of JHER, will introduce a brief history and some important statistics of JHER, and will present a strategic plan of JHER’s future. (3) Q&A We will receive general questions from the floor and will answer their questions.