Applications of Hydrology
Hydrologists are not merely working in the ether of theoretical science - far from it. Hydrology, in the professional world, largely equals 'applied hydrology.' Hydrologists are of paramount importance to the general public because, by their understanding of water, they are able to predict flood conditions and such. There are hundreds of thousands of hydrologists working throughout the world in many fields - chemical hydrologists, ecohydrologists, hydrogeologists, etc. - applying their hydrological knowledge in such areas as flood and drought prediction and prevention, irrigation system design, dam and bridge design, drinking water safety assurance, water source assessment, land change prediction, and contaminant policymaking.