The 62nd annual academic lecture meeting of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers was held from September 12th to 14th at Hiroshima University. Mr. Tanaka, leader of the International Technical Exchange Team of ICHARM, and Mr. Imamura, researcher of Hydrological Research Team of ICHARM, participated in the meeting.

Mr. Tanaka gave a presentation on a research study titled "A Study of an Evaluation Method of Runoff/Infiltration Characteristics by an On-site Water Sprinkling Experiment." In areas to which the Designated Urban River Inundation Prevention Bill, enacted in fiscal 2003, applies, maximum runoff discharges before urban development need to be estimated, which requires an appropriate runoff coefficient for each area. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to find an appropriate runoff coefficient for a given area. The sprinkling experiment revealed a simple relationship between the rainfall rate and stable infiltration rate. The study also found that a

time-series runoff change can be illustrated by means of this simple relationship and the logistic curve.

Mr. Imamura presented a research study titled "A Study of Estimate Equations for Flow Velocity Distribution in Vertical Direction." In his presentation, the applicability characteristics of three different estimate equations of Aki's, Bazin's and logarithmic distribution was introduced, using flood discharge data observed by means of an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and hydraulic pressure type current meter. At present, the coefficient of float is based on Aki's equation. The study found, however, that the conditions of water depth and river channel tended to affect the applicability of the three equations. This result suggested that the accuracy of discharge observation would be improved by selecting a most appropriate equation depending on water depth and river channel.

The International Seminar on Wetlands and Sustainability 2007 was held on September 4th-6th in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, hosted by Kyoto University of Japan and the International Islamic University Malaysia. Mr. Tanaka, leader of the International Technical Exchange Team of ICHARM, participated in this three-day seminar, in which issues on mangroves were intensively discussed.

Japanese professors Shigeyuki Baba of Ryukyu University and Akira Komiyma of Gifu University delivered keynote speeches at the seminar. Professor Baba, who is also the Secretary General of the International Society of Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME), spoke informatively on various issues including ISME-led activities. Professor Komiyama lectured on the characteristics of

mangrove forests and how they would affect the CO² level in the atmosphere. He provided a number of important insights. Mr. Tanaka gave a presentation on how coastal vegetation can help to mitigate the effects of tsunamis.

On the second day of the seminar, the participants visited Kukup Island and Tanjung Piai. Kukup Island is thickly covered with mangrove forests. Tanjung Piai is located at the southernmost tip of the Eurasia Continent and is named after the plant "Piai," which is common in this area; At Tanjung Piai, mangrove forests extend into the extremely busy Straits of Malacca and has suffered considerable erosion in recent years. Efforts are being made to prevent erosion by using a structure called a "Geo-Tube."

An eroded site at Tanjung Piai. Erosion has destroyed mangrove forests and boardwalks. Geo-Tubes are seen off shore, looking like detached breakwaters. Large ships can also be seen far off the coast, heading for their destinations.

Mangrove forests on Kukup Island viewed from the top of a 20-meter-high observation tower.

ICHARM has set up a new Master's program called the "Water-related Risk Management Course of Disaster Management Policy Program". The program started on October 9, 2007. The launch day was chosen to coincide closely with International Disaster Prevention Day on October 10.

Water-related disasters such as floods occur all over the world. This year alone, major flood events have inflicted severe damage on different parts of the world, including southern China, Britain, India, Nepal, and parts of Africa. This only demonstrates how modern societies are vulnerable to water-related disasters. It is anticipated that disaster-inducing hazards will increase their intensity in the future as climate change progresses.

To cope with this emerging threat, there is an urgent need to build a community of experts and professionals to deal with water-related disasters particularly in developing countries, which are proven to be more vulnerable to natural disasters. Such experts are expected to acquire a broad understanding of all facets of disaster management so that from professional engineering and social scientific viewpoints, they can contribute to the improvement of disaster preparedness and can promote recovery and rehabilitation in a time of crisis.

To respond this need, ICHARM has launched this new Master's Degree Program. It is a one-year program jointly organized by ICHARM and the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) with support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Eleven students from Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Philippines and Japan are currently studying in the program.

The inauguration ceremony of the program was held at ICHARM on October 4 in the presence of Mr. Makoto Aoki (Director General of JICA Tsukuba), Mr. Kenji Kaneko (Director of the Program Team 1, JICA Tsukuba), Mr. Akihiro Matsumoto (Program Officer of the Program Team 1, JICA Tsukuba), Dr. Tadahiko Sakamoto (PWRI Chief Executive), Mr. Akihiro Sanada (Head of the PWRI Planning and Research Administration Department), Dr. Kuniyoshi Takeuchi (ICHARM Director), Dr. Jayawardena (ICHARM Research and Trainig Advisor), Mr. Akira Terakawa (ICHARM Deputy Director), and Mr. Shigenobu Tanaka (ICHARM Team Leader).

During the ceremony, Mr. Aoki expressed a warm welcome to the students and gave a brief introduction of the course. He also emphasized the importance of being interested in nature, society and culture of Japan in addition to the required classes.

Dr. Sakamoto also greeted to the students and specifically mentioned one of the course objectives, which is to train professionals to be able to utilize state-of-the-art technology to meet societal needs and expectations so that they can demonstrate to the policy makers the importance of disaster management in national planning. He also expressed his expectation that the students should in the future be involved as leading specialists in the planning and implementation of national disaster mitigation plans.

Dr. Takeuchi followed Dr. Sakamoto, saying that he was very happy to accept practitioners as new students into the course, which is the first of its kind in the world. And he encouraged the students to work hard.

After these greetings, the students introduced themselves, and Mr. Mitra Baral ended the ceremony on behalf of all the students, expressing their collective determination to acquire strong expertise in disaster management .

The students are already participating in various lectures from top experts in the field and will undertake exercises, field surveys and individual study at ICHARM until next September. ICHARM staff members are all working hard and will continue to do so to provide the students with a training environment that maximizes their achievements. ICHARM appreciates your kind attention and looks forward to your continuing support.

ICAHRM started the Flood Hazard Mapping Training Course 2007 from 29th October to 30th December. This is the 4th year since the course was established in 2004.

The course usually accepts 16 participants from eight countries (China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippine), but this year two more participants from Sri Lanka and Thailand has been specially accepted and will join the 2007 training course.

ICHARM staff has been working on the course curriculum to further improve the content based on the opinions from ex-participants and the issues that came up in the staff review. Town Watching and Flood Hazard Mapping exercises are particularly enhanced in content as priority subjects. Both the subjects have been always found meaningful and practical by a number of participants in the past.

Mr. Miyake, participated in the Workshop of the Typhoon Committee (TC) held from September 10th to 13th in Bangkok. The TC was established in 1968 and composed of 14 members/countries. The three Working Groups (WGs) in TC, namely Meteorological group, Hydrological group and Disaster Prevention and Preparedness(DPP) group, are actively promoting several projects in a collaborative manner. Mr. Miyake served as the Chair of WG on Hydrology (WGH).

In WGH, current status and future directions, etc. are reviewed for each ongoing project, such as Flood Hazard Mapping (leading country; Japan), Debris flow warning project (Japan), Evaluation of flood forecasting (FF) model performance (Korea), Extension of FF systems(China), On-the-job training of FF (Malaysia). The three groups are now directed to proceed activities in a more integrated manner so that the TC can further contribute to the members/countries.