Print Email Facebook Twitter HESS Opinions "The art of hydrology" Title HESS Opinions "The art of hydrology" Author Savenije, H.H.G. Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences Department Watermanagement Date 2008-02-18 Abstract Hydrological modelling is the same as developing and encoding a hydrological theory. A hydrological model is not a tool but a hypothesis. The whole discussion about the inadequacy of hydrological models we have witnessed of late, is related to the wrong concept of what a model is. Good models don't exist. Instead of looking for the "best" model, we should aim at developing better models. The process of modelling should be top-down, learning from the data while at the same time connection should be established with underlying physical theory (bottom-up). As a result of heterogeneity occurring at all scales in hydrology, there always remains a need for calibration of models. This implies that we need tailor-made and site-specific models. Only flexible models are fit for this modelling process, as opposed to most of the established software or "one-size-fits-all" models. The process of modelling requires imagination, inspiration, creativity, ingenuity, experience and skill. These are qualities that belong to the field of art. Hydrology is an art as much as it is science and engineering To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:bedf365c-cf8b-4536-890f-3c168f073405 ISSN 1607-7938 Source Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 13, 157-161, 2009 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License Files PDF hess-13-157-2009.pdf 255.97 KB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:bedf365c-cf8b-4536-890f-3c168f073405/datastream/OBJ/view