IAHR-Spain Water Conference | Celebrating 25 years of IAHR presence in Spain
Signing of the new SPAIN Water-IAHR Agreement 2026-2030-2034

Technical Session. Innovation in the water sector: digitalization and Artificial Intelligence

Date: 17 March 2026 (9:30-17:00 h)
Location: CEDEX Centre for Hydrographic Studies, Paseo Bajo de la Virgen del Puerto nº 3, 28005 Madrid. Map.
Registration is free until full capacity is reached

Introduction  Programme  Contact  In Spanish Registration form

 Introduction

This conference is organized to mark two milestones: the celebration of 25 years of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) in Spain—located since 2001 at the CEDEX Hydrographic Studies Centre—and the signing/presentation of a new collaboration agreement between IAHR and SPAIN WATER (CEDEX, the Directorate General for Water, and the Directorate General for the Coast and the Sea). The day will conclude with a technical session dedicated to innovation in the inland and marine water sectors.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary, participants will include the Directors General of Water and the Coast and the Sea, the Director of CEDEX, and two former directors of CEDEX who promoted and executed the move of IAHR to Spain from the Netherlands (where it had been based since 1935). Additionally, several past IAHR Presidents from the last 25 years, the former Executive Director, and the former Secretary General of the IAHR office at the Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR) in Beijing will participate, alongside high-ranking officials from water sector entities that have supported IAHR.

The new IAHR-SPAIN WATER Agreement for 2026 to 2030, with a possible extension to 2034, continues the partnership that began in 2001 when the Association moved from the Delft Hydraulics Institute (now Deltares) in the Netherlands to CEDEX in Madrid. It represents the will of both parties to continue collaborating on the dissemination of science and technology in inland and marine water matters both nationally and internationally. This new agreement remains open to the inclusion of other Spanish public or private entities through corresponding addenda.

The technical session is designed with a focus on the future of water, considering two innovative themes currently emerging in the sector: Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. These will be discussed in the context of climate change, energy transition, water security and quality, and resilience against disasters caused by the excess or lack of water, such as floods and droughts.

Both topics will be treated from the perspective of their current status and their multiple potentials within the hydro-environment.

Leading Spanish and international speakers will present their visions and share experiences that have already been carried out or are under development. 

 Programme 

OPENING (9:30 – 10:00 h)
Áurea Perucho Martínez. Director of CEDEX
Mª Dolores Pascual Vallés. Director General for Water
Ana Oñoro Valenciano. Directora General for the Coast and the Sea  
Philippe Gourbesville. President of the IAHR

SIGNATURE OF THE NEW IAHR - SPAIN WATER AGREEMENT 2026-2030-2034 (10:00 - 10:30 h)
Áurea Perucho Martínez. Director of CEDEX
Mª Dolores Pascual Vallés. Director General for Water 
Ana Oñoro Valenciano. Director General of the Coast and the Sea
Philippe Gourbesville. President of the IAHR
Moderator: Tom Soo. Executive Director of IAHR

XXV ANNIVERSARY OF IAHR IN SPAIN (10:30 - 11:30 h)
Felipe Martínez Martínez. Former Director of CEDEX and promoter of the move of IAHR from the Netherlands to Spain
Mr. Manuel Martín Antón. Former Director of CEDEX  and signatory, in 2001, of the first agreement with IAHR
Prof. Etienne Mansard. Canada. Former President of IAHR (2003-2007) 
Mr. Christopher B. George. Former Executive Director of IAHR (1999-2018)
José María Grassa. CEDEX. Former Council Member
Luis Garrote. UPM. President IAHR Spain Chapter
Representative from Spain Young Professional Network
Amparo López. UPV. Former Vice President
Elsa Incio. Manager Madrid Office Global Secretariat
Moderator: Ramón Mª Gutiérrez Serret. Secretary General of IAHR

COFFEE BREAK (11:30 - 12:00 h)

TECHNICAL SESSION ON INNOVATION IN THE WATER SECTOR: DIGITALIZATION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (12:00 - 17:00 h)
Evolution of Numerical Modelling in Hydraulics (12:00 - 12:20 h)
David López. CEDEX

Digital Transformation & AI for Water Sector: challenges and major trends (12:20 - 12:40 h)
Philippe Gourbesville. President of IAHR

The digitalization of the coast and sea in Spain: 25 years developing solutions for its public management and protection (12:40 -13:00 h)
Ana Lloret. Director of CEDEX Centre for Harbours and Coastal Studies

Hydroinformatics Approaches to Water Systems: Modelling, Decision Support and Nature-Based Solutions (13:00 - 13:20 h)
Ioana Popescu. IHE Delft (The Netherlands) and Vice President of IAHR in Europe

Discussion (13:20 - 14:00 h)
Moderated by: Ana García Fletcher. Deputy Director General for Coastal Protection. Directorate General for the Coast and the Sea

LUNCH BREAK (14:00 – 15:00 h)

TECHNICAL SESSION ON INNOVATION IN THE WATER SECTOR: DIGITALIZATION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PART II  (15:00 – 17:00 h)

Presentation 5 (15:00 – 15:20 h)
Spanish speaker

Opportunities and threats of digital transformation in the urban water sector (15:20 – 15:40 h)
Gabriele Freni. Università Di Enna Kore (Italy) and Past Chair of IAHR Technical Committee on Hydroinformatics 

Presentation 7 (15:40 – 16:00 h)
Spanish speaker

Presentation 8 (16:00 – 16:20 h)
IAHR speaker

Discussion (16:20 – 16:50 h)
Moderated by: Tomás Sancho Marco. Deputy Assistant Director General for Public Domain and Infraestructure

CLOSING (16:50 – 17:00 h)
Conchita Marcuello Olona. International Affairs Coordinatior. Directorate General for Water
Ana García Fletcher. Deputy Director for Coastal Protection. Directorate General for the Coast and the Sea 
Federico Estrada Lorenzo. Director of CEDEX Centre for Hydrographic Studies
Tom Soo. Executive Director of IAHR 

 Organization

IAHR and Spain Water (General Directotate for Water, CEDEX and General Directorate of the Coast and the Sea).

 Contact

IAHR Global Secretariat. Paseo Bajo Virgen del Puerto, 3.
28005 Madrid. Spain.
Tel: +34 91 335 79 08
Email: iahr@iahr.org