HYDROLOGIC SCIENCES GRADUATE GROUP

Water defines our blue planet. Life in all forms depends on and has been shaped around water in the hydrologic cycle and the peculiarities of its local manifestations: Ecosystems are shaped by climate (rain, snow, fog, humidity), streams and lakes, floods and droughts, availability of soil moisture, springs, and oceans. Healthy drinking water is essential to modern life. Nearly half of the planet's food production depends on irrigation water, on its availability and good quality. In addition, water not only produces energy, energy production uses water for cooling and other purposes. Water is essential in many industrial processes.

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Water has been harnessed and managed to make economic gains, provide a healthy staple in humans' life, and support ecosystems. With a burgeoning population, increased water demands, and often unconstrained use and misuse of water resources, the challenges to improve our understanding of water in and across its physical, chemical, climatological, geographic, geologic, pedologic, ecologic, management, and policy dimensions are more urgent than ever before. These challenges offer many opportunities in cross-disciplinary studies and learning - we invite you to join us in this adventure!

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UC Davis has a tremendous wealth of existing and developing knowledge related to water in California, the United States, and around our planet. We offer our students, researchers, and teaching and extension faculty rich and diverse academic, research and social opportunities. Moreover, our campus is known for its exceptionally comprehensive graduate curriculum, world-class faculty and an atmosphere of collegiality and support in which ideas thrive and successful professional careers begin.

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I am looking forward to make this a successful academic year with all of you,

Thomas Harter

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