We are pleased to invite you to a lecture of
Dr.
Saman Razavi from School
of Environmental Sustainability (University of Saskatchewan, Canada)
On Advancing Integrated Modelling of Water and Human Systems
Monday, 23 June, 11:00 D217, FŽP ČZU
Abstract
Hydrologic and human systems are deeply interconnected, but their modelling has traditionally been siloed. As the need for more holistic approaches grows, convergent and transdisciplinary integration is emerging as a key frontier in hydrologic research. This
presentation provides an overview of this evolving endeavor through the lens of Razavi et al. (2025), highlighting key frontiers that distinguish surface and groundwater hydrology, engineering, social sciences, economics, Indigenous and place-based knowledge,
and other interconnected natural systems such as the atmosphere, cryosphere, and ecosphere. We argue that a fundamental gap persists: hydrologic models often disregard management interventions, while water resources management models rarely account for hydrologic
feedbacks. This disconnect can lead to inaccurate predictions and suboptimal decision making, particularly in flood forecasting and reservoir operations. For instance, the state of the art in flood research and inundation mapping is often limited to a “weak
coupling” of models of hydrology, reservoir systems, and river hydrodynamics, typically involving the addition of simplistic representations of reservoirs and water withdrawals to hydrologic and hydrodynamic simulations, which may not adequately capture management
complexities. To illustrate both the challenges and opportunities, we draw on recent examples of integrated modelling of human–water systems in the Saskatchewan River Basin and beyond.
References
Razavi, S., Duffy, A., Eamen, L., Jakeman, A. J., Jardine, T. D., Wheater, H., et al. (2025). Convergent and transdisciplinary integration: On the future of integrated modeling of human‐water systems. Water Resources Research, 61, e2024WR038088.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR038088
