Within the humanitarian arena and since the introduction of the humanitarian reform process in 2005, the cluster approach was introduced to strengthen the cooperation and accountability between agencies working in the same field. Such an integrated approach is particularly needed and relevant in emergencies like cholera, especially in countries undergoing internal conflicts like Yemen. Several areas of concern have been identified during the past field experiences, which include dysfunctional cooperation as a result of different mandates as well as the relationship between nongovernmental organizations and their donors. Control of environmental health services is, for instance, the responsibility of several clusters/agencies and stakeholders, which usually results in a complicated and sometimes confusing approaches to address gaps and barriers. As far as the drinking water quality monitoring and surveillance are concerned, sampling and testing and compilation of data are usually carried out by many agencies included in the Health and water sanitation ad hygiene (WASH) clusters. We believe that the cluster theoretical approach for emergency response remains a turning point for the humanitarian arena. However, lessons from the recent past, especially in the management of cholera outbreak in fragile settings, may serve for a serious reflection on roles and dynamics within the blurred border between health and WASH. Specifically, cluster leads in the field have the responsibility for ensuring that humanitarian actors working in their sectors remain actively engaged in addressing crosscutting concerns such as the environment.
A systematic study was conducted over six years (1994-1999) on a shallow ice covered lake in the Russian Republic of Karelia with the aim of developing better understanding of some physical processes occurring in shallow ice-covered lakes. The average ice-covered period was 182 days while the longest ice-covered period was 193 days. The average lake water temperature at ice formation was 0.5-1.0°C, while the average water temperature just before ice break-up was close to 4°C. The heat flux from water to ice was low during early winter but could increase above 5 Wm-2 (daily average) during the last month before ice break-up. The heat flux from sediment to water was the main source of heat to the water body during early to mid winter being about 2-6 W·m-2 during early winter but decreasing to about 1-2 Wm-2 during early spring.
For 10 consecutive winters, measurements were carried out in Lake Vendyurskoe, Karelia, Russia. The aim of these measurements was to investigate some of the physical processes in this small shallow lake during its ice-covered period. Detailed measurements of ice thickness and condition, snow thickness, water temperature, salt content, and currents were developed into a database. Within this database are the winters 1994/95 and 1995/96, which are characterized by a very sharp change between positive and negative phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). This note investigates and compares the effects of these two NAO phases on the regional climate and their relation to the thermal regime of Lake Vendyurskoe. It became clear that the ice-covered period length did not vary much from one winter to the other; however, a large difference was observed in the maximum average ice cover thickness and in the average water temperature at ice formation (e.g., larger thickness and colder water temperatur... Abstract For 10 consecutive winters, measurements were carried out in Lake Vendyurskoe, Karelia, Russia. The aim of these measurements was to investigate some of the physical processes in this small shallow lake during its ice-covered period. Detailed measurements of ice thickness and condition, snow thickness, water temperature, salt content, and currents were developed into a database. Within this database are the winters 1994/95 and 1995/96, which are characterized by a very sharp change between positive and negative phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). This note investigates and compares the effects of these two NAO phases on the regional climate and their relation to the thermal regime of Lake Vendyurskoe. It became clear that the ice-covered period length did not vary much from one winter to the other; however, a large difference was observed in the maximum average ice cover thickness and in the average water temperature at ice formation (e.g., larger thickness and colder water temperatur...