Evolution of Global-Scale Hydrology over the Last 25 Years

Eric F Wood, Princeton University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton, NJ, United States, Dennis P Lettenmaier, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States, Nathaniel W Chaney, Duke University, Durham, United States, Ming Pan, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States and Justin Sheffield, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
Abstract:
Over the last 25 years three developments have profoundly impacted terrestrial land surface modeling and our ability to monitor water on the Earth’s surface: (i) satellite remote sensing, including long term data sets for variables such as land cover, radiation and precipitation that are central for regions with sparse in-situ observations; (ii) the evolution of land surface models that include ever-improving parameterizations for the hydrologic processes; and (iii) high-performance computing (including peta-byte storage systems) that allows for continental modeling at O(1)-km scales. The presentation will review the impact of these advances in providing information useful for advancing hydrologic sciences and offering information useful for society. Examples include continental and global flood and drought monitoring and hyper-resolution hydrologic information useful for applications such as agricultural and water resources management.
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