Defining hydroinformatics

My personal definition for this term is simply - the application of data and decision sciences to the design, operation and manageemnt of water infrastructure or to the general advancement of water sciences (hydrology, limnology, aquatic ecology, et cetera).

From the IWAP Journal of Hydroinformatics, however, we have the more nuanced working definition (the following is edited/truncated liberally in order to improve readability and conciseness from my perspective - visit preceding link for the true version):

Hydroinformatics promotes the fundamental understanding and technology developments of the water cycle in natural and built environments in a digital era under uncertainty of global changes. It emphasizes the interactions between natural systems from atmosphere to ocean and the built environment via artificial interventions such as urban drainage, low impact development, flood and drought management, wastewater treatment, and water supply systems with the aid of sensing, monitoring, modeling, and control technologies. It also provides knowledge via decision science at all levels from governance and policy to management and operations, as well as strives to understand the social decision-making processes by which existing and emerging sensing, information, communication, automation, and control technologies are brought into practical use. While all synergistic applications of the above technologies are highly encouraged for use in addressing the increasingly serious water problems under global change impact, the traditional numerical simulation, optimization and forecasting of water flows and related hydrological and hydraulic processes remain a foundation of hydroinformatics.

Topics of integrative informatics and hydrosystems covered by the journal include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

  • Theoretical Innovation in Process Modelling of Hydrosystems
  • Computational Advancement of Hydrosystems Analysis via Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Informatics
  • Education, Training and Management via Hydroinformatics

Exemplary case studies in hydroinformatics

Here I’ll try to identify examples of the application of hydroinformatics that I believe are aspirational (if I’m using that word correctly)…

  • Find an article to discuss here
  • And add another here