This quadrennial report presents a selection of work carried out within the FRIEND framework for the period 1994-1997. It deals with the major issues concerning hydrological river regimes, seen from the point of view of regional methods: databases, inflow, minimum flow, flooding, heavy rains, as well as physical flow processes, trends and integrated water management hydrology. The international aspects of hydrology research are discussed, including the way that the FRIEND research network operates. This document will be of interest to hydrologists and water resource managers, as well as to environmental specialists and scientists in general.