Infrastructure for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science

[01278884]美国国家科学院和其他团体最近的一些研究表明，迫切需要在水文学科学领域开展强有力的新的跨学科研究和教育项目，为地方、区域、国家和国际各级的明智决策提供基础。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。具体来说，迫切需要在仪器、实地测量战略和分析工具方面进行协调投资，以便更好地了解水文过程以及水文和有关生物地球化学过程之间的联系。为了满足这种对水文科学基础设施的需求，建立了促进水文科学大学联合会（CUAHSI），以促进这种研究。在头两年，该联盟将进行科学和执行规划，目的是在三个主要领域建立研究基础设施：i)长期水文观测站，提供从点到大陆尺度一致、综合的长期资料；ii)水文信息系统计划，以支持社区的数据、信息和分析需求；iii)水文测量技术计划，开发和操作最先进的系统，并为水文研究提供支持服务。第二年，还将制定教育和技术转让方案的计划和建议。这一基础设施倡议将受到水文学界的愿望和社会对水文学和相关科学优先问题的新认识的需求的推动，这些问题将对区域和国家经济的健康和可持续性以及它们可能蓬勃发展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.