HR: 0800h
AN: H31C-0399 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Plan for a Sierra Nevada Hydrologic Observatory: Science Aims, Measurement Priorities, Research Opportunities and Expected Impacts
AU: * Bales, R
EM: rbales@ucmerced.edu
AF: University of California, School of Engineering, Merced, 95344
AU: Dozier, J
AF: University of California, Bren School, Santa Barbara, 93106
AU: Famiglietti, J
AF: University of California, Earth Ssystem Science, Irvine, 92697
AU: Fogg, G
AF: University of California, LAWR, Davis, 95616
AU: Hopmans, J
AF: University of California, LAWR, Davis, 95616
AU: Kirchner, J
AF: University of California, Earth & Planetary Science, Berkeley, 94720
AU: Meixner, T
AF: University of California, Environmental Science, Riverside, 92521
AU: Molotch, N
AF: University of Colorado, CIRES, Boulder, 80309
AU: Redmond, K
AF: Desert Research Institute, Western Regional Climate Center, Reno, NV 89512
AU: Rice, R
AF: University of California, School of Engineering, Merced, 95344
AU: Sickman, J
AF: University of Florida, Soil & Water Sciences, Gainsville, 32611
AU: Warwick, J
AF: Desert Research Institute, Hydrologic Sciences, Reno, NV 89512
AB: In response to NSF's plans to establish a network of hydrologic observatories, a planning group is proposing a Sierra Nevada Hydrologic Observatory (SNHO). As argued in multiple consensus planning documents, the semi-arid mountain West is perhaps the highest priority for new hydrologic understanding. Based on input from over 100 individuals, it is proposed to initiate a mountain-range-scale study of the snow-dominated hydrology of the region, focusing on representative 1,000-5,000 km$^{2}$ river basins originating in the Sierra Nevada and tributary to the Sacramento-San-Joaquin Delta. The SNHO objective is to provide the necessary infrastructure for improved understanding of surface-water and ground-water systems, their interactions and their linkages with ecosystems, biogeochemistry, agriculture, urban areas and water resources in semi-arid regions. The SNHO will include east-west transects of hydrological observations across the Sierra Nevada and into the basin and range system, in four distinct latitude bands that span much of the variability found in the semi-arid West. At least one transect will include agricultural and urban landscapes of the Great Central Valley. Investments in measurement systems will address scales from the mountain range down to the basin, headwater catchment and study plot. The intent is to provide representative measurements that will yield general knowledge as opposed to site-specific problem solving of a unique system. The broader, general science question posed by the planning group is: \"How do mountain hydrologic processes vary across landscapes, spanning a range of latitudes, elevations and thus climate, soils, geology and vegetation zones?\" Embodied are additional broad questions for the hydrologic science community as a whole: (i) How do hydrologic systems that are subjected to multiple perturbations respond? (ii) How do pulses and changes propagate through the hydrologic system? (iii) What are the time lags and delays of stresses in different systems? (iv) How can the predictive ability for these responses be improved? The water resources question is then "how can new information inform decision-making aimed at achieving water resources sustainability?" The planning group is soliciting participation from the wider community with a stake in mountain hydrology and related fields, in order to develop a focused yet broadly useful infrastructure that will accelerate science scientific progress for years and decades to come.
UR: http://ucmeng.net/snri/snho
DE: 1719 Hydrology
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting