What is Hydrologic Warning?

The phrase "hydrologic warning" is not commonplace, but it has a broad, diverse meaning to those familiar with it.

Hydrologic Warning is the ability to warn of imminent danger to life, property, and the environment from hydrologic disasters through the use of automated remote data collection networks, modeling and analyses, and integrated forecast and warning systems.

Hydrologic disasters are those events that are caused by an alteration to the hydrologic cycle that result in significant loss of life, property, or damage to the environment. An alteration of the hydrologic cycle is a change in the normal hydrology of a watershed through natural or man-made means. Examples of natural alterations are floods, droughts, and hurricanes. Man-made examples include the construction of communitites in areas susceptible to floods, droughts, hurricanes, and other hydrologic threats.

It is the role of NHWC to assist managers and operators of hydrologic warning systems in the design, implementation, operation, and use of these systems towards the goal of protecting life, property, and the environment. A focus of partnerships and integrating networks for maximum benefit is important.