HR: 16:00h
AN: H34C-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Humans Transforming the Water Cycle: Community-Based Activities in Hydrologic Synthesis
AU: * Vorosmarty, C J
EM: charles.vorosmarty@unh.edu
AF: University of New Hampshire, Water Systems Analysis Group, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, Durham, NH 03824, United States
AU: * Vorosmarty, C J
EM: charles.vorosmarty@unh.edu
AF: University of New Hampshire, Complex Systems Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, Durham, NH 03824, United States
AU: Frolking, S
EM: steve.frolking@unh.edu
AF: University of New Hampshire, Complex Systems Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, Durham, NH 03824, United States
AU: Green, M
AF: University of New Hampshire, Water Systems Analysis Group, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, Durham, NH 03824, United States
AU: Green, M
AF: University of New Hampshire, Complex Systems Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, Durham, NH 03824, United States
AB: This paper describes a newly convened effort to design and execute synthesis studies in hydrology. We focus on an emerging view that human activities are affecting strongly the basic character of the water cycle, through a myriad of processes including water abstraction and flow diversion, land cover change, pollution, destruction of aquatic biodiversity, and climate change. A major scientific challenge is to understand how these changes manifest themselves and if they generate synergistic impacts across the different scales. Our primary synthesis goal is to quantify widespread alteration of hydrologic systems over local-to-regional domains focusing on the Northeast corridor of the United States over a 500-yr period (1600 to 2100). This is a region bearing sharp gradients in climate, land and water management and emblematic of pressures on water resources across the nation. This science agenda will be advanced through the activities of a consolidated Working Group (WG), which will study Regional Watersheds, Hydromorphology, and Continental Processes. The effort expands activities first consolidated under CUAHSI, and welcomes several new members who have led major CUAHSI, NSF, National Academy, regional, national, and international community activities. Our WG maintains cross-linked sub-groups on: Regional Earth System Models, Virtual Watershed Simulation, and Hydro-Indicators, organized through an IT framework to provide focus and unity of purpose. A project implementation design will be presented, including research, education, and outreach efforts.
DE: 1630 Impacts of global change (1225)
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects (4802, 4902)
DE: 1834 Human impacts
DE: 1836 Hydrological cycles and budgets (1218, 1655)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting