Arctic environments are vulnerable to change.  The high latitudes include taiga, tundra and boreal forest ecosystems.  The topography encompasses both mountains and plains and the climate can be maritime or continental.  Yet despite the apparent diversity, there is a common thread - the hydrological cycle of the high latitudes is dominated by snow and ice, including permafrost. 

The NRB was established in 1975 as part of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP).   The Regional Working Group on Northern Research Basins was set up to foster research of river basins in northern latitudes.   Unlike other snow and ice conferences, NRB is intended specifically for Arctic environments, thus full membership is open to countries with territory north of the Arctic Circle.  Founder members were Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, Norway, Sweden, the USA and the USSR.  Iceland joined in 1992 and Russia has since taken over the role of the USSR.  In addition, countries with polar research programmes are eligible for associate membership; current associate members are Germany, Switzerland, the UK and Japan.  The NRB working groups normally meets every two years with the meetings consisting of two parts: a symposium, at which formal papers are presented, and a workshop at which special issues of international interest are considered and task-force reports presented

Each member country can send up to ten delegates to an NRB meeting, and the host country can nominate additional participants as observers.  Attendance is also open to observers from associate member countries and occasionally non-member countries.   The chief delegate of the host country acts as the Chair for the interval from the conclusion of the previous meeting until the end of the current meeting. 

Most NRB participants are hydrologists or glaciologists, however, researchers from other disciplines are welcome.  Students are encouraged to attend and the small friendly nature of the community allows them to fully participate in presentations, field trips and discussions.  The number of delegates is usually kept to around 50-60 which fosters the forum like atmosphere.

The objectives of the Northern Research Basins Working Group are:

  • to gain a better understanding of hydrologic processes, particularly those in which snow, ice, and frozen ground have a major influence on the hydrological regime, and to determine the relative importance of each component of the water balance;

  • to provide data for the development and testing of transposable models which may be applied to regional, national and international water and land resource programmes;

  • to relate hydrologic processes to the chemical and biological evolution of northern basins;

  • to assess and predict the effect of Man's activities on the hydrologic regime in northern environments;

  • to encourage the exchange of personnel (technicians, scientists, research officers and others) among participating countries;

  • to provide information for the improvement and standardization of measurement techniques and network design in northern regions;

  • to encourage exchange of information on a regular basis and

  • to set up task forces to promote research initiatives on topics of special interest to northern research basins.