1. Hydrology of a Dynamic Earth March 2007
CUAHSI Science Plan
Hydrology of a Dynamic Earth
March 2007

2. Science Goals Linking the hydrosphere and the biosphere
Ecohydrology – water in the landscape
Upscaling hydrologic, biogeochemical and geomorphic processes
Lab, field experiment, regional application
Predicting the effects of climate change and human development on water resources

3. Hydrologic Prediction
A fundamental goal of hydrologic science is to be able to predict the response of water and the entire shallow earth system to human and climate perturbations with a level of confidence approaching those now possible for atmospheric and ocean systems, despite the heterogeneous nature of the continental environment

4. Continental water dynamics
Continental water dynamics describes the dynamic interaction of water with climate, landscape, ecosystems and humans (p.7)
Contrasting complexity of ocean water dynamics and continental water dynamics (p.8)

5. Hydrologic Science
Hydrologic science studies the occurrence, distribution, circulation and properties of water, and its interaction with a wide range of physical, chemical and biological processes, acknowledging also the added complexity of social and behavioral sciences (NRC, 1991). (“Blue Book”)

6. Hydrologic Science
It is as important to represent hydrologic environments precisely with
data as it is to represent hydrologic processes with equations
Physical laws and principles
(Mass, momentum, energy, chemistry)
Hydrologic Process Science
(Equations, simulation models, prediction)
Hydrologic conditions
(Fluxes, flows, concentrations)
Hydrologic Information Science
(Observations, data models, visualization
Hydrologic environment
(Physical earth)

7. Opportunities: LIDAR
Image created from LIDAR data. Note excavation on right (orange and black outlines) caused by a landslide, and the resulting deposits downstream in the Eel river (outlined in blue). Eel River flow is from right to left. Image courtesy of William Dietrich, NCED

8. Opportunities: web services

9. Terrestrial Hydrologic Cycle (p.17)
stores (areas generally of intense biologic activity) changing in time.

10. Benchmarking Current Understanding
Surface water, climate, and groundwater monitoring sites in the US

11. 2D and 3D data

12. Evapotranspiration-Recharge-Snow Arrays (p.26)

13. Computer Aided Dispute Resolution (p.29)