Committee on Hydrologic Science

National Academy Of Sciences, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

0350018 Parker The Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB) and Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC) of the National Research Council (NRC) propose to continue the work of the Committee on Hydrologic Science (COHS). The Committee's objectives are to provide a venue for discussion of priority research topics in the hydrologic sciences among academic and professional groups, government agencies, interagency organisms, and private industry; identify opportunities for development of new activities in hydrologic science, advise the National Academies on matters pertaining to hydrologic science; and oversee approved projects conducted under its auspices. In its first five years, the Committee has authored or co-authored four reports. These were: Hydrologic Science Priorities for the U.S. Global Change Research Program: An Initial Assessment; review of USGCRP Plan for a New Science Initiative on the Global Water Cycle; Report of a Workshop on Predictability and Limits-to-Prediction in Hydrologic Systems; and Groundwater Fluxes across Interfaces. COHS also sponsored a workshop in 2000 on Research at the Boundary of Ecology and Hydrology. Intellectual Merit: Plans for 2004-2006 include oversight of a study on "Pursuing New, Complementary Spaceborne, Sub-orbital, and Ground-based Observations for Advancing Hydrologic and Related Sciences." This is a topic that was designated as meriting highest priority attention by both committee members and scientists and managers from the sponsoring federal agencies. The goals of this study are to examine the potential for integrating existing and new space-borne observations with complementary airborne and ground-based observations to gain holistic understanding of hydrologic and related biogeochemical and ecological processes and to support water and related land-resource management. It is particularly timely since land-based hydrologic networks have deteriorated substantially while simultaneously NSF is establishing land-based observatories for accumulating hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological data. Broader Impacts: In summary, there is a need for continued work of the Committee on Hydrologic Science. The committee's work has a broad impact on the academic community in helping to guide the national and international scientific enterprise. And its work is influential among government scientists and managers, thus helping to assure high quality and timely hydrologic science input to U.S. and international programs with hydrologic components. The total estimated cost of this activity for the period August 1, 2003 through July 31, 2008, is $1,230,000, of which $210,046 is requested from the National Science Foundation.