Encyclopedia of Hydrological Sciences, 5 Volume Set

Book Preface

The field of hydrological science deals with the occurrence, distribution, movement, and properties of water on the earth. The science of hydrology holds a unique and central place in the field of earth system science, intimately linked with other water related disciplines such as meteorology, climatology, geomorphology, hydrogeology, and ecology. Beyond basic scientific interest, water quantity and water quality have become two of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. The first comprehensive hydrological studies began in the late 1600s with Pierre Perrault’s field studies of the hydrological cycle and Edmund Halley’s experiments on evaporation. However, it was not until the mid-1850s that Henry Darcy quantified the hydraulics of groundwater flow and the linear relation between velocity and hydraulic gradient. Since then, and especially through the latter twentieth century, knowledge generation in the hydrological sciences exploded with new discoveries in each of the components of the hydrological cycle. Despite scientific and technological advances, the field of hydrological sciences has been highly fragmented across the engineering-science interface, between basic and applied studies, mathematical and descriptive work, and field and laboratory investigations. Such fragmentation has left many aspects of the hydrological cycle and its underlying mechanics still poorly understood. Such understanding is an essential prerequisite for hydrological prediction and for defining the level of uncertainty around these predictions.

The Encyclopedia of Hydrological Sciences (EHS) is the first definitive research-level multivolume encyclopedia in the hydrological sciences where the full scope of research in the field of hydrological sciences is distilled – from engineering approaches to basic science, from process studies to mathematical modeling, and from field investigations to the laboratory. EHS thus provides an inclusive reference source for the field, defining what we know, what we think we know, and what we need to know about the future. EHS brings together information on hydrological processes from the sub-catchment to the global scale with a focus on research-level analysis.

We have organized the encyclopedia into 17 themed parts that cover the breadth of current major research activity in the field. The 203 articles in EHS have been written by 316 authors from 22 countries, all experts in their fields. Each article has been peer-reviewed and then edited by an Associate Editor, each among the top scientists in their sub-disciplines. We have tried to organize EHS to maximize ease of use for its readers. Each of the five volumes contains a table of contents. The last volume contains a subject index pertaining to the complete work.

The accompanying online version of the Encyclopedia includes hypertext links to appropriate software sites. The online format extends the usefulness of EHS through rapid search capability, and facilitates both updating and subsequent expansion of text material. The hard copy version of EHS is a foundational set of knowledge that will be progressively tuned in the online version, both tracking the core science foci and delivering the latest research findings.

We owe a considerable debt to the author and editor team, colleagues who are among the most active research workers in their respective fields. The Associate Editors of the 17 themed parts have managed both procurement of articles and the substantive review process that such a project demands. Such activity has been supported throughout the project life by staff at John Wiley; in particular, we
acknowledge the support given to us by Sally Wilkinson, who has overseen the project from conception, whilst Sue Amesbury has given unfailing support to ourselves, the Associate Editors, and authors. Her contribution has been pivotal in ensuring timely delivery of the project.

We hope that EHS will provide both a sound comprehensive platform of current knowledge and also clear pointers to future research directions in the field.

Malcolm G Anderson
Editor-in-Chief