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The CIRMOUNT Hydrologic Observatories Work Group (HOG)
provides a forum and community for discussion and coordination of
actions in support of new hydrologic infrastructure, focusing mainly
on measurements and data, in western North American mountains. Specifically,
and initially, HOG is working within the context of the ongoing
NSF initiative from the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement
of Hydrologic Science (CUAHSI) to develop two hydrologic observatories
(HO) as testbeds for long-term measurements and hydrologic characterization.
Recognizing that the CUAHSI observatory program offers a uniquely
important opportunity for advancing hydrologic observations and
hydrologic science in western mountains, CIRMOUNT's HOG will help
to integrate the five local design teams that have expressed an
interest for developing HOs in western settings. The HOG recognizes
that independent of any CUAHSI initiative, there will still be a
need to address hydrologic research infrastructure and monitoring
needs for the western mountain environments as a community. The
HOG therefore will attempt to motivate continuations of the discussions
begun by the local teams, even after the immediate CUAHSI opportunity
is past.
Goals of CIRMOUNT's Hydrologic Observatories Work Group:
- Make the case to funding agencies--most immediately NSF through
CUAHSI--that establishment of modern hydrologic observatories
in western mountain settings is imperative to meet growing scientific
and societal needs.
- Promote the concept that the western-mountain HO teams should
continue their discussions and planning to leverage opportunities
for a truly regional hydrologic measurement and research strategy
for the western-mountain basins.
- Strive to initiate discussions and intercomparisons of hydrologic
monitoring and observation strategies and technologies across the
western mountain region.
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