Hydrology

HYDROLOGY

Is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is a hydrologist, working within the fields of earth or environmental science, physical geography, geology or civil and environmental engineering.

Domains of hydrology include hydrometeorology, surface hydrology, hydrogeology, drainage basin management and water quality, where water plays the central role. Oceanography and meteorology are not included because water is only one of many important aspects within those fields.

Hydrological research can inform environmental engineering, policy and planning.

Branches of hydrology

Chemical hydrology: Is the study of the chemical characteristics of water.
Eco hydrology:  Is the study of interactions between organisms and the hydrologic cycle.
Hydrogeology: Is the study of the presence and movement of ground water.

Hydro Informatics: Is the adaptation of information technology to hidrology and water resources applications.

Hydrometeorology: Is the study of the transfer of water and energy between land and water body surfaces and the lower atmosphere.

Isotope Hydrology: Is the study of the isotopic signatures of water.

Surface hydrology: Is the study of hydrologic processes that operate at or near Earth´s surface.

Drainage basin: Management covers water-storage, in the form of reservoirs, and flood-protection.

Water quality: Includes the chemistry of water in rivers and lakes, both of pollutants and natural solutes.

Hydrologic cycle

All the amount of water that exists on world is divided into three main sources: oceans, continents and atmospheres in which there is a continuous circulation. The movement of water in the hydrological cycle is maintained by the sun's radiant energy and the force of gravity. The hydrological cycle is defined as the sequence of events through which water passes from the earth's surface in the vapor phase into the atmosphere and returns to its liquid and solid phases. The transfer of water from the surface of the Earth into the atmosphere, water vapor, is due to direct evaporation, perspiration by plants and animals and by sublimation (direct passage of solid water to water vapor).

The hydrological cycle can be seen, on a planetary scale, as a gigantic system of distillation spread throughout the planet. The warming of the tropical regions due to solar radiation causes continuous evaporation of ocean water, which is transported in the form of water vapor by the general circulation of the atmosphere, to other regions. During transfer, part of the water vapor condenses due to cooling and forms clouds which cause the precipitation.

The hydrologic cycle

Applications of hydrology

·       Determining the water balance of a region.

·       Determining the agricultural water balance.

·       Mitigating and predicting flood, landslide and drought risk.

·       Real-time flood forecasting and flood warning.

·       Designing irrigation schemes and managing agricultural productivity.

·       Part of the hazard module in catastrophe modeling.

·       Providing drinking wáter.

·       Designing dams for water supply or hydroelectric power generation.

·       Designing bridges.

·       Designing sewers and urban drainage system.

·       Analyzing the impacts of antecedent moisture on sanitary sewer systems.

·       Predicting geomorphological changes, such as erosion or sedimentation.

·       Assessing the impacts of natural and anthropogenic environmental change on water resources.

·       Assessing contaminant transport risk and establishing environmental policy guidelines.