ISMAR Symposia
The International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR) is the premier international event on MAR research and practice, held every 3 or 4 years under the auspices of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This series of conferences advances the goals of IAH’s Commission on MAR “to expand water resources and improve water quality in ways that are appropriate, environmentally sustainable, technically viable, economical and socially desirable”.
Symposia attract attendance of national and international regulators, researchers and practitioners in all facets of MAR, including hydrogeology, geochemistry, microbiology, modeling, economics, and water resources management. Themes covered include water quality, design and construction, operation and maintenance, economics, monitoring and modeling, regulations and management, adaptation to climate change, land subsidence prevention and remediation, and thermal energy storage.
This dedicated page provides an overview on past ISMAR symposia and serves as an online repository for conference materials such as books of proceedings, abstracts etc. We warmly recommend also the collection of Proceedings of the Biennial Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (BSMAR) organised in the US by the Groundwater Resources Association of California and Arizona Hydrological Society.
ISMAR12
12th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“From Theory to Implementation and Operation”
28 April – 2 May 2025 – Stellenbosch, South Africa
The 12th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR12) will be held in the wine heartland of South Africa, Stellenbosch, from 28 April to 2 May 2025. The main theme “From Theory to Implementation and Operation” places the focus on the latest research, implementation of MAR sites and the practicality of operating MAR schemes. The 8 Sub-themes cover multiple aspects in the field of MAR in the domestic/municipal, agricultural, and mining sectors. Oral and Poster presentations, multiple workshops and social interactions will allow the delegates to present innovative solutions and discuss pressing societal challenges. Various exhibit opportunities and sponsoring opportunities exist. Pre-conference courses will allow the delegates to gain practical knowledge for our expert presenters. 3 end-of-the-week excursions are planned to showcase the latest MAR sites and the landscape of the Cape Town and Saldanha areas with networking opportunities. https://www.ismar12.org.za/ will soon have more information and timelines.
Organised by the IAH South Africa National Chapter.
ISMAR11
11th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“Managed Aquifer Recharge: a key to sustainability”
11-15 April 2022, Long Beach, California, USA
ISMAR 11 included 3 pre-conference workshops, keynote speakers, two days of multi-track technical sessions, the Herman Bouwer Awards luncheon, post-conference field trips, post conference geophysics workshop, networking, socializing, and networking opportunities.
ISMAR10
10th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“MAR to solve the global water crisis”
20-24 May 2019, Madrid, SPAIN
The 10th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR10) was organised by Tragsa Group, with the assistance of invited co-organizers Spanish Geological Survey (IGME), the Spanish chapter of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) and the IAH Spanish Chapter. The Organising Committee included the IAH-MAR Commission, UNESCO IHP, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the EU EIP Water. Read more.
ISMAR9
9th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“Solutions to sustainable water management subject to scarcity and climate change”
20-24 June 2016, Mexico City, MEXICO
The 9th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR9) was organised in 2016 in Mexico City by the Engineering Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in conjunction with the Biennial Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (BSMAR15). Read more.
ISMAR8
8th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“Managing Aquifer Recharge: Meeting the Water Resource Challenge”
15-19 October 2013, Beijing, CHINA
The 8th Symposium of ISMAR (ISMAR8) was held with the theme “MAR: Meeting the Water Resource Challenge”, on 15–19, October 2013 in Beijing, China. It was organized by Tsinghua University, University of Jinan, and China Geological Survey, with the cooperation of ASCE, UNESCO, the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and IAH MAR Commission. This is the first time that ISMAR has been held in Eastern Asia, making ISMAR8 unique and highly relevant to the developing world. Read more.
ISMAR7
7th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“Achieving Ground Water Supply Sustainability & Reliability through Managed Aquifer Recharge”
9-13 October 2010, Abu Dhabi, UAE
The 7th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR7) was organised on 9-13 October 2009 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Symposium continued as a joint venture of IAH/ASCE and is the prime international meeting in this field, adopting the Commissions aims, “to expand water resources and improve water quality in ways that are appropriate, environmentally sustainable, technically viable, economical, and socially desirable. It will do this by encouraging development and adoption of improved practices for management of aquifer recharge,” IAH, January 2002. Read more.
ISMAR6
6th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“Management of aquifer recharge for sustainability”
28 October – 2 November 2007, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
The sixth symposium on managed aquifer recharge was organised between 28 October – 2 November in Phoenix, Arizona, by a committee of the Arizona Hydrological Society under the co-chairmanship of Doug Bartlett and Ivan Johnson, with the assistance from Barbara Murphy. Read more.
ISMAR5
5th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
“Recharge systems for protecting and enhancing groundwater resources”
11-16 June 2005, Berlin, GERMANY
The 5th ISMAR Symposium was organised in Berlin in 2005 by the Water Competence Center Berlin (KWB) in collaboration with the Technical University of Berlin (TUB) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), under the patronage of UNESCO. Read more.
ISAR-4
4th International Symposium for Artificial Recharge of Groundwater
“Managed aquifer recharge for sustainability”
22-26 September 2002, Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
The Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Artificial Recharge has as its theme Management of Aquifer Recharge for Sustainability. This topic was decided during the closing plenary at TISAR 98 Amsterdam, and since then, the imperative for this theme has magnified. Silting of wadi impoundments and percolation tanks in Africa, Asia and Middle East, clogging of ASR wells through geochemical processes, growth of biomass in aquifers, maintenance of water quality in bank or dune filtration, soil-aquifer treatment, and mineral leaching are important issues that affect the economics and longevity of groundwater recharge projects. Read more.
TISAR98
3rd International Symposium on Artificial Recharge of Groundwater
“Store or restore”
21-25 September 1998, Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
The third symposium on managed aquifer recharge was organised in Amsterdam, Netherlands, by the Kiwa Research and Consultancy (Netherlands) in cooperation with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Dune Water Company of South Holland, Amsterdam Water Supply, Limburg Water Supply, the Artificial Recharge Working Group of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), the Groundwater Committee of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Read more.
ISAR-2
2nd International Symposium on Artificial Recharge of Groundwater
“Artificial Recharge of Groundwater, II”
17-22 July 1994, Orlando, Florida, USA
The Second International Symposium on Artificial Recharge of Ground Water was held in Orlando, Florida from July 17-22, 1995 and sponsored by the ASCE Special Standards Division, the ASCE Irrigation and Drainage Divison, and the East Central Division, the ASCE Irrigation and Drainage Division, and the East Central Division, Florida Section of ASCE. Read more.
ISAR-1
First International Symposium on Artificial Recharge of Groundwater
“Artificial Recharge of Groundwater”
23-27 August 1988, Anaheim, California, USA
The first symposium on managed aquifer recharge was organised in 1998 by the Task Committee on Guidelines for artificial recharge of groundwater of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Irrigation and Drainage Division. The symposium was co-sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, California Department of Water Resources, University of California Water Resources Center, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, with cooperation from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, American Water Resources Association, U.S. Agency for International Development, World Bank, United Nations Department of Technical Cooperation for Development, and a number of local and state organisations. Read more.
