Infrastructure for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science

0127884 Bales美国国家科学院和其他团体最近的一些研究表明，迫切需要在水文科学研究和教育方面开展新的跨学科项目，为地方、地区、国家和国际各级的合理、信息化决策提供基础。 很明显，水文学和相关科学的科学基础设施目前不足以满足许多列举的优先科学问题和社会需求。 具体而言，迫切需要对仪器、实地测量战略和分析工具进行协调投资，以更好地了解水文过程以及水文和相关地球化学过程之间的联系。（CUAHSI）是为了促进这种研究而创建的。 在头两年，联合会将进行科学和实施规划，旨在建立三个主要领域的研究基础设施：i）长期水文观测站，提供从点到大陆尺度的一致、综合和长期信息; ii）水文信息系统计划，支持社区的数据、信息和分析需求;以及iii）水文测量技术计划，以开发和操作最先进的系统，并为水文研究提供支持服务。在第二年，还将制定教育和技术转让计划和建议。这一基础设施倡议将由水文界的愿望和社会的需要对水文学和相关科学的优先问题形成新的认识，这些问题将对地区和国家经济的健康和可持续性以及它们可能赖以繁荣的生态系统产生重大影响。

0127884BalesA number of recent studies by the National Academy of Sciences and other groups have articulated critical needs for vigorous new interdisciplinary programs of research and education in hydrologic science to provide the basis for sound, infonned decisions at local, regional, national, and international levels. It has become apparent that the science infrastructure in hydrology and related sciences is currently inadequate to meet many of the enumerated priority science questions and societal needs. Specifically, coordinated investments in instrumentation, field measurement strategies and analytical tools are critically needed to gain greater understanding of hydrologic processes and the linkages between hydrologic and related biogeochemical processes.In response to this need for infrastructure in hydrologic sciences, the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) has been created to facilitate such research. During its first two years, the Consortium will undertake science and implementation planning aimed at establishing research infrastructure in three main areas: i) Long Term Hydrologic Observatories to provide the consistent, integrated, long-term information from point to continental scales; ii) a Hydrologic Infon-nation System program to support the data, information, and analysis requirements of the community; and iii) a Hydrologic Measurement Technology program to develop and operate state-of-the-art systems and provide support services for hydrologic research.In year two, the formulation of plans and proposals for programs in education and technology transfer also will be developed.This infrastructure initiative will be driven by the hydrologic community's desire and society's need to develop new understanding about priority questions in hydrology and related sciences that will have significant implications for the health and sustainability of regional and national economies as well as for the ecosystems in which they may flourish.