Premium
The essential value of long‐term experimental data for hydrology and water management
Author(s) -
Tetzlaff Doerthe,
Carey Sean K.,
McNamara James P.,
Laudon Hjalmar,
Soulsby Chris
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1002/2017wr020838
Subject(s) - wetland , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental resource management , benchmark (surveying) , foundation (evidence) , term (time) , hydrological modelling , water resource management , engineering , geography , ecology , geology , physics , geotechnical engineering , quantum mechanics , geodesy , archaeology , climatology , biology
Observations and data from long‐term experimental watersheds are the foundation of hydrology as a geoscience. They allow us to benchmark process understanding, observe trends and natural cycles, and are prerequisites for testing predictive models. Long‐term experimental watersheds also are places where new measurement technologies are developed. These studies offer a crucial evidence base for understanding and managing the provision of clean water supplies, predicting and mitigating the effects of floods, and protecting ecosystem services provided by rivers and wetlands. They also show how to manage land and water in an integrated, sustainable way that reduces environmental and economic costs.