Foreword to the special issue on IAH-CMTW session, Stana the Vale, Romania, 7–11 October, 2007

Abstract

This special issue contains selected presentations from the 2007 yearly meeting of the Commission on Mineral and Thermal Waters (CMTW) held in Stana de Vale, Romania. As 2008 was CMTW’s 40th year, it is worth mentioning that CMTW is one of the statutory bodies (working groups) of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH). The Commission was established in August 1968 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, during the 23rd session of the International Geological Congress. Since then it has convened 40 annual meetings. Each meeting is organized independently by an esteemed scientific advisory board of noted hydrogeologists and other scientists many of whom have participated since its inception. Organized by CMTW members in their respective countries, the majority of these events have taken place in Europe, with members of the Commission from other continents of Africa, Australia and North America attending regularly. Annual meetings routinely are comprised of scientific sessions, field trips and business meetings. During scientific sessions members and invited speakers present results of various research concerning legislative issues, hydrogeology and technical field work. Updated information is also presented concerning exploration and utilization of mineral and thermal waters primarily in the country hosting the meeting. The field trips usually cover important areas of thermal and mineral waters in the host country. By combining the scientific conference and the field trip with a briefing by local colleagues, a comprehensive acclimatization is provided to the host country’s mineral and thermal waters along with a more general update of mineral and thermal waters hydrogeology. At the business meetings, members of the Commission, decide organizational issues, such as acceptance of new members, future plans and projects. The objective of the Commission is to bring together scientists, engineers and other professionals dealing with mineral and thermal waters. Nowadays members are mostly hydrogeologists working in various governmental agencies and private organizations. Parent institutions usually support members’ participation in meetings held in other countries and help them organize meetings in their own country. Some members, although retired, remain active as consultants in their field. The Commission is honored to have among its members such internationally recognized professionals: Ambassador Professor Jan Dowgiallo, expert hydrogeologist and former member and honorable chairman of the Commission; Mr. Hussein Idris, former deputy chairman of the Commission and president of the Egyptian national chapter of IAH, chairman of several companies and now active as Consulting Engineer and Hydrogeologist; as well as late Dr Philip E. LaMoreaux, long time CMTW member, internationally recognized professional hydrogeologist, former IAH President, and Editor in Chief of Environmental Geology; Dr John E. Moore, member of the Commission and former President of IAH and of American Institute of Hydrology (AIH), and Chairman of the IAH Education Commission; Dr JeanJacques Risler, former Vice-President of the CMTW; and Professor Ladislaus Rybach, internationally recognized professional in the field of geothermics and President of International Geothermal Association (IGA). Commission sessions give participants unique, direct and visual opportunities to become familiar with specific problems in the field of hydrogeology and exploration and utilization of mineral and thermal waters; to exchange A. Porowski (&) Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland e-mail: adam@twarda.pan.pl; adamp@twarda.pan.pl