Task Forces

Task forces are a major activity for the NRB working group and each symposium has a session set aside for progress reports. 

Terms of reference and examples of recent task forces are given below.

Terms of Reference for NRB Task Forces

1. The objective of an NRB Task Force is to continue liaison among member countries between NRB meetings, through investigation of an area of mutual concern.

2. A Task Force is constituted for two years, with the possibility of renewal for a maximum of two additional years. The Task Force is created during an NRB meeting, with a minimum participation of four member countries.

3. The Chair of the Task Force is appointed by the member country which proposes the subject for the Task Force. The Chair will confirm membership from supporting countries within one month of the NRB meeting.

4. A work plan should be formulated by the Task Force within one month of its creation. The plan is to include the objectives, the investigation approach and tangible outputs of the Task Force.

5. Membership and work plan of the Task Force must be approved by the Chief Delegates of the participating countries.

6. A progress report is to be distributed to the Chief Delegates at the end of the first year. Modifications are to be made to the work plan as appropriate.

7. A final report is to be delivered to the Chief Delegates one month before the next NRB meeting so that it may be distributed to the delegates in advance of the meeting.

8. A summary presentation is to be made by the Chair of the Task Force at the NRB meeting.

9. It is highly desirable that a proposed Task Force be identified and the concept circulated among Chief Delegates prior to an NRB meeting.

Source: 9th International Northern Research Basins Symposium/Workshop, Canada, 1992. NHRI Symposium No. 10, T.D. Prowse, C.S.L. Ommanney and K.E. Ulmer (editors), p. 891-892

Task forces

1. WATER TEMPERATURE IN LAKES OF THE NORTH - contact person Nikolay Filatov

This task force seeks to investigate the possible effects of climate variability and climate change on water bodies of the North.  The first stage of the project will analyse the dependence of water temperature and ice parameters on meteorological characteristics and atmospheric circulation.
The project will investigate water temperatures for the largest lakes of Europe and North America as well as selected large, medium and small lakes.

The objectives are to:

• create a database of the high latitude lakes situated in North West of Russia (more them 60 lakes), Sweden & Finland and North America;

• determine the effects of climatic parameters (including atmospheric indexes) on water temperatures, water level and ice characteristics;.

• develop statistical models for the description of the thermal regime of lakes.  To improve the predictions of the feedback mechanism of lakes on climate changes;

• quantify the effect of climate and main features of the lakes (morptometry, depth)  on their surface temperature annual cycle and the vertical thermal structure; and

• estimate the possible changes of annual cycle of the lake’s surface temperature and their vertical thermal structure for different scenarios of regional climate changes in accordance with GCMs.

2. Observation of Solid Precipitation - contact person Richard Janowicz (Canada) 

3. Integration of Cold Regions Science for Societal Value - contact person Terry Prowse (Canada)

4. Water Balances - contact person Douglas Kane

IAHS Red Books - Publ. 290 (INov 2004), ISBN 1-901502-82-1

Northern Research Basins Water Balance. Eds Kane, D.L. and Yang, D.

5. Remote sensing - contact person Claude R. Duguay

Duguay, C.R. and A. Peetroniro, 2005 (eds). Remote Sensing in Northern Hydrology: Measuring Environmental Change. Geophysical Monograph 163, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, 160pp. ISBN 978-0-87590-428-3

This task force produced a book published as an AGU monograph in 2005.  The original task force members were Claude Duguay (Chair), Alain Pietroniro, Deiter Scherer, and Jan-Gunnar Winther.  They were joined by other international contributors (lead authors: Jeffries and Granger, and many collaborators).  An edited version of the book preface is given below:

Change in arctic environments, such as decreasing spring snow extent and glacial retreat, appears to have accelerated since the mid-1970s. Field measurements have provided some of the evidence for the observed changes. A steady decline in in situ measurement sites over the last two or three decades, however, has left important geographical gaps in observational networks. Remote sensing observations, together with numerical models and traditional measurement techniques, has thus become an invaluable tool for studying hydrosphere and cryosphere changes in remote areas of the North.

This volume focusses on remote sensing observations and interpretations of  components of the hydrological cycle that are germane to northern environments, such as glaciers and ice sheets, snow cover, lake and river ice, as well as permafrost and seasonally frozen ground. The volume also covers soil moisture, surface water and evaporation/evapotranspiration determination from satellite remote sensing. For these parameters, a particular effort was made to provide references and summarize work conducted at high latitudes.

With new sensors and methods constantly being developed, remote sensing in northern (and global) hydrology has become a quickly evolving field. This book thus provides readers a foundation from which to build on as developments occur. Over this and the coming decade Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United States will place into orbit highly capable sensor packages that will foster new advances, especially in northern hydrology.