Thema: Hydrological Scaling Revisited

12th Symposium | 3rd May, 2025

Title image and group picture of the Vienna Catchment Science Symposium

© Miriam Bertola

Hydrological observations and process studies are usually conducted at small spatial scales, while water management decisions, and the models that support them, are needed at larger, landscape scales.

The methodological challenge of bridging this scale gap has attracted a lot of research in the 1980s and 1990s, but has received less attention in recent years, even though the issue persists.

The aim of this symposium is to explore the conceptual foundations of the topic in light of recent advances in measurement and modelling approaches, and to identify potential directions for future research on addressing the scaling problem.

Registration for the Vienna Catchment Science Symposium 2025, opens an external URL in a new window

Programme

TimeSessionsLocation
08:30Tea, coffee, pastries and greetingsPrechtlsaal
08:45Welcome and Introduction
Günter Blöschl, TU Wien, Austria | University of Bologna, Italy
Prechtlsaal
09:00Hydrological scaling: Taking stock and looking ahead
Günter Blöschl, TU Wien, Austria | University of Bologna, Italy
Prechtlsaal
10:10Tea and coffeePrechtlsaal
10:45Structure and organization as scaffolds for upscaling
Sally Thompson, University of Western Australia
Prechtlsaal
11:55Short break 
12:00Novel scaling approaches in physically based models
Harrie-Jan Hendricks Franssen, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
Prechtlsaal
13:10LunchPrechtlsaal
14:15Small group discussion sessions
Group 1: Towards a general scaling framework of rainfall-runoff processes
Aim: to brainstorm what universal conceptualisations could contribute to a scaling framework of model equations and parameters that link local, hillslope and catchment scales.
Moderator: NN
Prechtlsaal
 Group 2: Framing the testing of scaling relationships
Aim: to brainstorm the methods (data, models, frameworks) required to explore whether hydrological scaling relationships are suitable for transferring information across spatial scales.
Moderator: NN
Seminar room AD0306
(3rd floor)
16:00Tea and CoffeePrechtlsaal
16:30Plenary: Exchange of group findingsPrechtlsaal
17:30Evening drinks reception followed by dinnerPrechtlsaal