Hydrology is the study of the movement and distribution of water throughout the Earth, and thus addresses both the hydrologic cycle and water resources. It is a composite science , combining physics, chemistry, and biology as they pertain to water. A practitioner of hydrology is a hydrologist, working within the fields of either earth or environmental science, or civil and environmental engineering.

Domains of hydrology include hydrometerology , surface hydrology, and hydrogeology, where water plays the central role. Oceanography and meteorology are not included because water is only one of many important aspects.

Hydrological research is useful not only in that it allows us to better understand the world in which we live, but also by providing insight for environmental engineering, policy and planning . Mitigation of floods and landslides requires an appreciation and prediction of the dynamics of rainfall and runoff; agriculture and drought avoidance benefits from weather and climate forecasts, and knowledge of irrigation and soil moisture behaviour; providing ample and clean drinking water depends on knowledge of the current and future location and stores of water in the environment; design of dams for water supply or hydroelectric power generation incorporates prediction of future seasonal and inter-annual rainfall and river flow.

See also

groundwater - river - hydraulic engineering - hydrologic engineering - hydrologic modeling - virtual water - Chemical hydrology

Books and Academic Journals

• Handbook of Hydrology
• Journal of Hydrology
• Water Resources Research
• Hydrological Processes

External links

• International Glossary of Hydrology.
• U.S. Geological Survey.