Florinsky, Igor 
  
  
Fig. 5: Wheat yield distributions over the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh 
4 Suggested applications of geo-information in internationally shared river basins 
The high cost of space research makes it imperative that the nations of the world pool their scientific, 
technological, and other forms of resources for common benefit. The space programs of the US, EU 
and Japan have some joint activities. Dedicated working groups are established to promote the use of 
data originating from a specific sensor. MODLAND is such an endeavour for the storage and 
processing of land cover and land surface related parameters from MODIS (Running et al., 1994). 
Remote sensing can also be promoted thematically such as for the hydrological branch. The 
International Association for Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) has a working group on International 
Commission on Remote Sensing (ICRS) and the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote 
Sensing (APRS) has a working group on Water Information Management Systems. This is believed to 
be more effective and exciting than exchange of experiences through remote sensing communities 
such as IEEE, European Association for Remote Sensing and Land (EARSEL) and International 
Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). Water resources managers don’t know 
about the existence of EARSEL and ISPRS. 
A working group composed of international scientists who discuss remote sensing algorithms 
necessary for river basin management, test these algorithms in joint field experiments and process 
satellite data in a routine way leading to database building. Local experts and consultants can then 
apply the technology to specific basins after having received training. In case of serious disputes 
between basin member states, the international working group can assist with a third and neutral 
opinion. It is believed that discussing information facts, aids the negotiation and collaboration process 
between fellow states. Several case studies have been conducted by the International Water 
Management Institute where experts used public domain databases complemented with satellite 
measurements to make hydrological analysis of basins without visiting them (e.g. Kite and Droogers, 
1999). Although it is not encouraged to execute desk studies, it demonstrates technically new 
opportunities to analyze the processes in international river basins when data is made accessible to 
everybody. 
The management of international water has implications at the local, regional and global levels, and 
therefore needs a framework that reflects this. The universally agreed legal instrument, i.e. the UN 
Convention on the law of Non-Navigational Uses of International Water Courses is useful in 
providing guidelines, principles and a certain degree of stability to the process of creating workable 
regional agreements. The UN and its Special Agencies, Regional Banks and other organizations also 
  
448 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000.