The pan-Arctic Community-wide Hydrological Analysis and Monitoring Program (Arctic-CHAMP)

The primary aim of the pan-Arctic Community-wide Hydrological Analysis and Monitoring Program (Arctic-CHAMP) initiative is to catalyze and coordinate interdisciplinary research with the goal of constructing a holistic understanding of arctic hydrology through integration of routine observations, process-based field studies, and modeling. Four goals should guide this effort:


Goal 1: Assess and better understand the stocks and fluxes that constitute the arctic hydrologic cycle.

Goal 2: Document changes to the arctic water cycle, contributing a hydrological component to the multiagency Study of Environmental Arctic Change Program (SEARCH).

Goal 3: Understand the causes of arctic water cycle change and assess their direct impacts on biological and biogeochemical systems.

Goal 4: Develop predictive simulations of the response of the earth system and human society to feedbacks arising from progressive changes to arctic hydrological systems.

This online forum will focus on the following questions, although participants are encouraged to add information about research results, divergent opinions, questions that arise from the science planning process and anything else that will add to the discussion.

  1. What are the major features and natural variability of the pan-arctic water balance?
    Moderated by Richard Lammers and Alexander Shiklomanov
  2. Are the observed changes in arctic hydrology part of the natural variability or are they related uniquely to human-forced global warming?
    Moderated by Robert 'Max' Holmes and Robin Webb
  3. What are the impacts of arctic hydrological changes on ecosystems and humans?
    Moderated by A. David McGuire and Larry Hamilton
  4. How does the hydrologic cycle feed back to the oceans and atmosphere?
    Moderated by Mike Steele