Recent Advances in the Modeling of Hydrologic Systems

Modeling of the rainfall-runoff process is of both scientific and practical significance. Many of the currently used mathematical models of hydrologic systems were developed a genera­ tion ago. Much of the effort since then has focused on refining these models rather than on developing new models based on improved scientific understanding. In the past few years, however, a renewed effort has been made to improve both our fundamental understanding of hydrologic processes and to exploit technological advances in computing and remote sensing. It is against this background that the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Recent Advances in the Modeling of Hydrologic Systems was organized. The idea for holding a NATO ASI on this topic grew out of an informal discussion between one of the co-directors and Professor Francisco Nunes-Correia at a previous NATO ASI held at Tucson, Arizona in 1985. The Special Program Panel on Global Transport Mechanisms in the Geo-Sciences of the NATO Scientific Affairs Division agreed to sponsor the ASI and an organizing committee was formed. The committee comprised the co­ directors, Professor David S. Bowles (U.S.A.) and Professor P. Enda O'Connell (U.K.), and Professor Francisco Nunes-Correia (Portugal), Dr. Donn G. DeCoursey (U.S.A.), and Professor Ezio Todini (Italy).

'This book offers a wealth of information to anyone seeking a survey of the state of the hydrologic modeling disciple in the research community in the late 1980s...The book is an excellent source of information for students seeking topics that may prove worthy of further research and study. Practitioners of hydrology would also benefit from exposure to the activities at the leading edge of their filed of interest. It also serves as a means of introducing people to aspects of hydrology that are outside their editors are to be commended for their efforts in presenting this material to the hydrologic community.' Bulletin American meteorological Society 73:12 1992