The 8th International Conference on Hydroinformatics
Hydroinformatics concentrates on the application of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to addressing the increasingly serious problems which relate to the equitable and efficient utilisation and management of the aquatic environment. Classical hydro engineering (hydraulics, hydrology and related research), deals with "just" one aspect of the total problem. As a consequence, the results of hydraulic research, as well as core modelling software, are ever more rapidly "encapsulated" and in such encapsulated forms integrated in larger systems or "added value networks". Hydroinformatics is a technology built around developments and applications of systems which are, for their users, objective systems. Because of all this, hydroinformatics changes the way in which hydraulics, hydrology and water resources studies generally are applied in society.
Hydroinformatics is limited to aquatic environments, to water and all with which water interacts. It is a technology, not a science, and we know that technologies often change more rapidly than sciences. Meanwhile it gives to hydraulics and hydrology a chance of synergism with ICT and thus avoids the situation of being simple suppliers of solutions or modelling software to be encapsulated.
The Joint Committee on Hydroinformatics represents the interests of the International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research (IAHR), the International Water Association (IWA) and the international Association of Hydroligal Sciences (IAHS). This conference will be focussed on the problems of model coupling in complex systems, the treatment of uncertainty, the exploitation of artificial intellgence (AI) methodology and advanced GIS and visualisation techniques to the whole field of water resources and hydrology. Hydroinformatics draws on and integrates hydraulics, hydrology, environmental engineering and many other water disciplines. It sees application at all points in the water cycle from atmosphere to ocean and truly represents an attempt to support a "whole systems modelling philosophy". It provides support for decision making at all levels from governance and policy through management to operations.
