Introduction to the ERB inventory (ICARE) : Inventory of Catchments for Research in Europe

I.C.A.R.E. (Inventory of the CAtchments for Research in Europe) is an inventory database giving information on Experimental Representative Basins in Europe. "European Research Basins" (E.R.B.) is an European Network of Researchers in Hydrology. The main objectives of I.C.A.R.E. database and ERB Network are to :1.inform hydrologists and data managers about existing research objectives (information about their location, research objectives, project managers, recorded data, equipment, hydrological, geomorphological and climatological characteristics. 2.validate some data sets from European research basins, to test and to compare different models. 3.gather general data which are often dispersed over different laboratories. I.CA.R.E. database is now (1996) available on the WEB. The http adress is : http://wwwhh.lyon.cemagref.fr/~db2boss/erbintro.htm It was etablished in 1986. Since its beginning, the main objectives of this E.RB. Network are : 1.Increase relationship between members, research teams and basin managers, through exchanges of information, visits and meetings. 2.Enable joint operations of common interest between members. Scientific topics of common interest were discussed during E.R.B. conferences in PERUGIA in 1988, in Wageningen (NL) in 1990, in Oxford (UK) in 1992, and in Barcelona (E) in 1994.The next conference will be held in Strasbourg (F) in 1996. The steering Committee consists of all National Correspondents nominated by the Unesco-IHP National Committee.It is chaired by ERB Coordinator. Information is disseminated through Newsletters ("ERB news"), about two issues per year. / Aprés un rappel historique utile pour comprendre les objectifs d'un inventaire européen des bassins versants de recherche, on décrit les tables et attributs sélectionnés ainsi que les principes de l'outil relationnel de gestion retenu.