Hydrological observations, forecasting and advanced mathematical modelling provide essential tools for integrated water resources management (IWRM). Their practical value depends on how well they address management needs, represent competing objectives and account for ecological, social and institutional conditions. This session brings together hydrological science, systems analysis and practical surface water management to explore how scientific knowledge translates into implementable decisions. Aligned with the IAHS ICWRS scope and the HELPING decade, it connects technical advances with the participation, governance and capacity needed to put them into practice. We invite methodological contributions, comparative analyses and case studies addressing:
• Integration of hydrological modelling, forecasting, simulation and optimization into water allocation, reservoir operation, ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation;
• Problem framing and assessment of trade-offs among technical performance, ecological needs and societal priorities;
• Co-development and use of decision-support tools with managers, communities and policymakers, including local knowledge and uncertainty communication;
• Institutional capacity, economic constraints and governance arrangements influencing implementation, including transboundary settings;
• Evaluation of management outcomes, unintended consequences and transferable lessons from successful, delayed or unsuccessful interventions.
Contributions should connect analytical methods with a concrete decision context and explain the conditions affecting their use. We particularly welcome studies examining both the technical performance of proposed solutions and their practical uptake, distinguishing anticipated benefits from demonstrated outcomes. The aim is to understand how modelling capabilities and implementation conditions together support effective, equitable and adaptive water management.