Hydrology has a long history, with many of its concepts, methods and observations developing through a combination of scientific advances, practical needs and contributions from different research communities. Looking back at this history can help us understand how ideas in hydrology have developed, changed and sometimes been forgotten.
This session invites contributions on the history of hydrological concepts, methods, observations and models, as well as on the people, institutions, projects and research communities that have shaped the discipline. We are particularly interested in examples where looking at the past can improve understanding of current hydrological practice, including historical data, approaches that have been abandoned or overlooked, traditional and indigenous knowledge, and lessons from past successes and failures.
We also welcome contributions on how (traditional) hydrological knowledge is passed on and how it has supported sustainable water management across different cultures over long periods. How does research become established knowledge, and how does it eventually find its way into textbooks and teaching? A considerable gap often exists between scientific research and what becomes established textbook knowledge: findings that are already well established may take many years to enter teaching, while others may be simplified or interpreted differently as they are passed on.
The session aims to bring together different perspectives on the history of hydrology and to discuss how understanding the development of the discipline can contribute to both current research and the education of future hydrologists.