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2020 Darcy Lecture: Hydrology from the bottom up: how groundwater shapes the water cycle

Darcy Lecture Series in Groundwater Science with Prof. Reed Maxwell Director of the Integrated GroundWater Modeling Center (IGWMC) at the Colorado School of Mines

Time

16:00 - 17:00

Venue

ETH Zürich
Hönggerberg Campus
HIL E 6
8093 Zürich

This lecture by Prof. Reed Maxwell will explore the linkages between groundwater and the rest of the hydrologic cycle. It will discuss some fundamental relationships that describe groundwater's interconnections with land surface fluxes and how recent advances in our understanding these feedbacks can help us more holistically manage our watersheds.

beech stream forest water
Image: M. Bolliger

Groundwater is one of Earth's largest freshwater stores, yet it is often out of sight and out of mind. While groundwater is often conceptualized as a separate store from surface water, feedbacks between groundwater depth, soil moisture, streamflow, and plant water usage become increasingly important for characterizing the water and energy drivers of watershed fluxes. Thus, the literature shows that groundwater is intimately linked not only to surface water, but also the land surface, and the lower atmosphere. This lecture will explore the linkages between groundwater and the rest of the hydrologic cycle. It will discuss some fundamental relationships that describe groundwater's interconnections with land surface fluxes and how recent advances in our understanding these feedbacks can help us more holistically manage our watersheds. The growing body of evidence demonstrating the critical role of groundwater-surface water interactions has driven a new wave in groundwater hydrology. As we increasingly understand groundwater connections and learn how critical groundwater interactions are water-resource challenges, groundwater becomes a central part of integrated analyses that previously have been considered across disciplinary boundaries.

About the Lecture Series

The Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecture Series in Groundwater Science fosters interest and excellence in groundwater science and technology. It was established in 1986 in honor of Henry Darcy of France for his 1856 investigations that established the physical basis upon which groundwater hydrogeology has been studied ever since. Each year, a panel of scientists and engineers invites an outstanding groundwater professional to share his or her work with their peers and students through an international lecture series.

Categories

  • Earth
  • Groundwater
  • Hydrology
  • Interactions
  • Moisture
  • Water cycle
This year's Darcy Lecture Series in Groundwater Science consists of three lectures by Prof. Reed Maxwell, held at different Swiss universities and institutions.
Languages: English