HYDROLOGY VS HYDRAULICS

The difference between hydrology and hydraulics continues to confuse laypersons. Even engineers are often fuzzy about the subject. In a nutshell, hydrology converts rainfall to discharge; hydraulics converts discharge to pressure.

In the 1980s, at a conference in San Francisco, California, I met a colleague who was employed with a leading engineering company. He had gotten his doctorate in hydraulic engineering at a very reputable school and had eventually risen to become section head at his company. Yet, the title in his business card read: "Chief Hydrologic Engineer." Knowing very well that his training was in hydraulics, I could not help but to ask him how much he knew about hydrology.

He responded, with a smile: "Not much, but it sells much better than hydraulics."

 

A tributary of Trout Creek, Colorado, showing perennial flow, estimated at 1 cfs.

A tributary of Trout Creek, Colorado, showing perennial flow, estimated at 1 cfs.