About Us
The Hydrology Section is one of twenty-five sections in the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Its members are concerned with the cycling of continental water (solid, liquid and vapor) at all scales, and with physical, chemical and biological processes driven by that cycling. Of AGU's almost 60,000 members, about 7000 list their primary affiliation with the hydrology section.
The stated purpose of the Section (per its bylaws) is "To promote the aims and activities of the American Geophysical Union within the field of hydrology and water resources including promoting the scientific study of hydrology and water resources and [making] the results of such studies available to the public; initiating and participating in hydrologic and water resource research programs including those which depend upon international cooperation, and promoting cooperation among [other] scientific organizations whose objectives include furtherance of knowledge in the hydrologic and water resource disciplines."
The Section's elected leaders include the section president, president-elect, and secretary, all of whom serve two-year terms (the president-elect becomes president upon completion of his or her term as president-elect). Most Section activities are carried out by standing committees for the selection of awards and other purposes, along with nine technical committees. All of the committees report to an Executive Subcommittee (ES), which consists of the elected officers, and a broader Executive Committee, which includes the ES and other members specified in the Section bylaws. While members of the standing committees are appointed by the President, as are members of the technical committees, meetings and activities of the technical committees, which include planning sessions for the annual meetings and other activities, such as planning of Chapman Conferences, are open to all members. The AGU's primary outlet for scientific and policy articles in hydrology is Water Resources Research (WRR). Although WRR functions are overseen by AGU's Publications Committee rather than the Hydrology Section, most WRR editors and associate editors are Section members, and the Section takes a strong interest in WRR, which has a reputation as the best journal in hydrology.