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This resource does not have an owner who is an active HydroShare user. Contact CUAHSI (help@cuahsi.org) for information on this resource. |
| Type: | Resource | |
| Storage: | The size of this resource is 331.0 MB | |
| Created: | Jul 20, 2026 at 8:55 p.m. (UTC) | |
| Last updated: | Sep 09, 2026 at 4:46 p.m. (UTC) | |
| Citation: | See how to cite this resource | |
| Content types: | Single File Content |
| Sharing Status: | Public |
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| Views: | 93 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
| +1 Votes: | Be the first one to this. |
| Comments: | No comments (yet) |
Abstract
This HydroShare resource presents illustrations of dominant hydrologic processes across five major North American domains: Northern, Western, Central, Eastern, and Islands. Hydrologic processes describe the pathways and mechanisms that move water through the environment. These processes include, but not limited to, interception by vegetation, infiltration into soil, movement through shallow and deep groundwater, snow accumulation and melt, surface runoff, evaporation, transpiration through vegetation, and movement of water into streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers. Understanding these processes is essential for explaining watershed behavior, predicting streamflow, evaluating flood and drought risks, and improving hydrologic models.
The domain classification reflects two broad controls on hydrologic behavior: north-south variation in energy availability, driven by latitude, solar angle, and seasonality, and east-west variation in water availability, shaped by the interaction of moisture-laden oceanic air with western mountain ranges. Together, these controls influence temperature, snow accumulation and melt, frozen ground, evapotranspiration, precipitation, aridity, runoff generation, groundwater recharge, and the timing of streamflow, helping explain broad regional differences in hydrologic processes across the continent.
Subject Keywords
Coverage
Spatial
Content
readme.md
Resource Contents
The resource includes one process illustration for each hydrologic domain. Each illustration is provided in two formats:
- PNG — a high-resolution image suitable for viewing, presentations, reports, and web use.
- PSD — an editable Adobe Photoshop file containing the source artwork.
Example files include:
| Domain | FPNG fileile | Editable PSD file |
|---|---|---|
| Central | CentralDomain.PNG |
CentralDOMAIN.psd |
| Eastern | EasternDomain.PNG |
EasternDomain.psd |
Equivalent PNG and PSD files are included for the Northern, Western, and Islands domains.
Intended Use
These illustrations may be used to:
- communicate differences in hydrologic behavior across North America;
- support education and training in hydrology;
- provide visual context for hydrologic perceptual models;
- compare dominant processes among domains;
- support presentations, reports, and scientific outreach; and
- inform the development and interpretation of hydrologic models.
File Format Notes
The PNG files are flattened images and are recommended for general viewing and reuse.
The PSD files are intended for users who need to edit labels, symbols, colors, process arrows, or other visual elements. Editing PSD files requires Adobe Photoshop or another application that supports the PSD format.
Citation and Attribution
When using or adapting these illustrations, cite this HydroShare resource using the citation information provided on the resource landing page.
If an illustration is modified, clearly indicate that it has been adapted from the original resource.
Additional Metadata
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Island Domain Main Characteristics | This domain is characterized by rapidly changing hydroclimatic conditions over short distances, short basin response times, extreme rainfall events, and unique flood forecasting challenges. |
| Central Domain Main Characteristics | This domain is characterized by gentle topography and extensive agriculture land use, with major impacts on the hydrologic cycle from irrigation, drainage, groundwater pumping, and water management. |
| Eastern Domain Main Characteristics | This domain is characterized by a complex land use history, especially in the U.S., and high population density in low-lying areas vulnerable to water-related risks such as sea level rise, storm surge, and flooding. |
| Western Domain Main Characteristics | This domain is characterized by complex topography, strong climate gradients, snow-dominated hydrology, wildfire impacts, and critical water supply challenges. |
| Northern Domain Main Characteristics | This domain is characterized by cold-region processes and is uniquely vulnerable to climate warming. The main feature is that it is cold. This strongly affects the hydrological conditions in this domain, emphasizing a need to consider water phase, heat deficits, and how frozen conditions affect water pathways through the landscape. Most of the Northern domain is very sparsely populated and large wildfires are common. |
Related Resources
| This resource is described by | THE LINK TO THE WEBSITE |
| This resource is referenced by | ADD LINK TO PAPER 1 |
| Title | Owners | Sharing Status | My Permission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting Data for Hydrological Perceptual Models Across North America | Wouter Knoben · Irene Garousi-Nejad | Public & Shareable | Open Access |
Credits
Funding Agencies
This resource was created using funding from the following sources:
| Agency Name | Award Title | Award Number |
|---|---|---|
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | Funded as part of the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH) | NA22NWS4320003 |
Contributors
People or Organizations that contributed technically, materially, financially, or provided general support for the creation of the resource's content but are not considered authors.
| Name | Organization | Address | Phone | Author Identifiers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kate Olson |
How to Cite
This resource is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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