MORE ABOUT HISTORY OF HYDROLOGY

IAHS History of Hydrology Working Group

Current Chair: Okke Batelaan, Email:  [email protected]

The IAHS Working Group on History of Hydrology has been actively working with and for the hydrological community since 2022 to build a strong historical consciousness of its science. Keith Beven was the first Chair of the Working Group and in his paper, Beven et al. (2025), ‘On the value of a history of hydrology and the establishment of a History of Hydrology Working Group’ it is stated:

“With knowledge of the past, we can avoid making similar mistakes and shed light on how past concepts, ancestral knowledge and paradigms in hydrology have developed and changed.”

Hence, the challenge of the Working Group is to:

1. Explore hydrological histories of 

      1.  Underrepresented countries / genders / minorities / language groups and indigenous cultures
      2.  Catchments
      3.  Models
      4.  Concepts

2. Engage with the community on the History of Hydrology via 

      1.  Wiki/YouTube
      2.  Webinars
      3.  Newsletters

The activities we are pursuing:

1. Contributing to and using the History of Hydrology Wiki

In 2016, Keith Beven started a 'History of Hydrology Wiki'.  This Wiki is now adopted by the IAH and this Working Group. It contains a wealth of information on Biographies of Hydrologists, Histories of Experimental and Research Catchments, Histories of Institutions, Hydrological Textbooks, Annotated Bibliography and Histories of Hydrological Concepts. Most of the information in the Wiki is highly beneficial as additional teaching material for hydrological courses or research students and professionals. Anybody can contribute with entries on these topics; you are warmly invited. See the Wiki website for instructions.

2. Contributing to and enjoying the History of Hydrology Interviews

We invite you to view the video recordings of the History of Hydrology interviews, which are now available to watch on the IAHS YouTube Channel or to listen to as podcasts. The History of Hydrology Interviews YouTube Channel started in 2018 as a companion to History of Hydrology sessions at European Geosciences Union General Assemblies with the goal of interviewing former John Dalton or Henry Darcy EGU medallists. The channel has evolved to also host interviews with other distinguished hydrologists as part of the activities of the IAHS History of Hydrology Working Group. All of the interviews serve as an audiovisual recording of the history of hydrology. To upload new interviews, or to make new interviews, you are welcome to discuss with the Chair.

Explore the diversity of topics and connect with the global hydrological community through these insightful presentations. Watch now and subscribe to the IAHS YouTube channel to stay up to date with future sessions, interviews, and highlights from IAHS initiatives.

3. Webinars

We intend to organise webinars; interested presenters and organisers are invited!

4. Publications

The Working Group has organised special issues in HESS and in the IAHS society journal Hydrological Sciences Journal. The reference to more than 40 published papers are available in the online Zotero database:

https://www.zotero.org/groups/6617545/iahs-wg_history_of_hydrology/library 

If you have other interesting historical hydrological references, please feel free to add a 'Collection' in the online reference database.

5. Conference sessions

We have organised conference sessions at EGU and the IUGG General Assembly. If you are interested in, or have good ideas for (co-)organising a history of hydrology themed session in a conference or meeting, please get in touch with the Chair.

6. News and how to get involved

If you would like to be involved in contributing to the Working Group activities (current or new proposed) or if you have any news that you would like to share with the Working Group members then please email the Chair, Okke Batelaan, at [email protected] 

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