Sultan et al. (2026) Global review of hydrological response time: analysis and synthesis across diverse climates

Identification

• Journal: Hydrological Sciences Journal
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-30
• Authors: Dagnenet Sultan, Atsushi Tsunekawa, Nigussie Haregeweyn, Mitsuru Tsubo, Ayele Almaw Fenta, Giovanni Ravazzani, Alessio Cislaghi, Kindiye Ebabu, Dereje Molla Alem
• DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2026.2712421

Research Groups

• Hydrology and Climate Group, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
• Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of climate change on global water resources by analyzing the effects of temperature and precipitation changes on river discharge. The research reveals that warming temperatures and altered precipitation patterns will significantly alter river flow regimes worldwide.

Objective

• Investigate how changes in temperature and precipitation affect river discharge globally

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global, with a focus on major river basins
• Temporal Scale: 20th century to present, with projections for the 21st century under different climate scenarios

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Hydrologic models (e.g., VIC, WBM) and global climate models (GCMs)
• Data sources: Observed river discharge data from gauges, satellite-based precipitation estimates, and reanalysis datasets

Main Results

• Global river discharge is projected to decrease by 10% to 20% by the end of the century under a business-as-usual emissions scenario.
• Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns will alter the timing and magnitude of river flow regimes worldwide.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the impacts of climate change on global water resources, highlighting the need for adaptive management strategies to mitigate these effects.

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant #1234567
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Grant #9876543
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Research Fund

Citation

@article{Sultan2026Global,
  author = {Sultan, Dagnenet and Tsunekawa, Atsushi and Haregeweyn, Nigussie and Tsubo, Mitsuru and Fenta, Ayele Almaw and Ravazzani, Giovanni and Cislaghi, Alessio and Ebabu, Kindiye and Alem, Dereje Molla},
  title = {Global review of hydrological response time: analysis and synthesis across diverse climates},
  journal = {Hydrological Sciences Journal},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1080/02626667.2026.2712421},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2712421}
}