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Pioneering Research on Floods Wins Stockholm Water Prize

March 22, 2002

The winner of the 2002 Stockholm Water Prize is the Venezuelan hydrologist Professor Ignacio Rodr'­guez-Iturbe of Princeton University, USA. He is being honored for his significant scientific contributions to the understanding of the interaction between climate, soil and vegetation structures, surface water, floods and droughts.

Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe, 60, is one of the world`s leading hydrologists. He was born in Venezuela, where he also has worked for many years, and is a citizen of both Venezuela and the United States. He is the first South American to receive the Stockholm Water Prize.

Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe`s scientific contributions have had important theoretical and practical meaning for hydrology`s development as an Earth Science. They have also increased understanding of the planet`s climatic system, where water`s circulation place a decisive role.

Thus, the Nominating Committee in its motivation wrote:

"Professor Ignacio Rodr'­guez-Iturbe is awarded the 2002 Stockholm Water Prize for lasting contributions to surface hydrology. With scholarship, creativity, enthusiasm and inspiration he has been in the forefront of the scientific evolution that placed hydrology in the fellowship of Earth Sciences."

Water is the Link
Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe`s research has led to greater understanding of meteorological and hydrological events like extreme floods and droughts, which can cause human suffering, environmental damage and economic loss. During the 1970s Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe developed a mathematical model for long-term extremes such as these. These formulations have been used extensively throughout the world, for example, in forecasting river flows and variations in water levels.

Evaluation of Hydrologic Data
In addition, Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe contributed to the development of methods to quantify the accuracy and value of hydrologic data. This concept is now adopted in hydrological and meteorological services. It has been used in the USA, Canada and Great Britain to evaluate the utility of their data collection systems.

Risk Analysis
In the mid 1970s, Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe introduced "Bayesian approaches" (a mathematical tool to combine information from many different sources which have varying degrees of accuracy) to improve different models for river flows and to predict the likelihood of extreme hydrological events. This type of approach is now adopted in many Earth Sciences, for example, as a way of combining outputs from different weather or climate models or as a way of integrating models and opinions for environmental risk assessment.

Theoretical Development
In the 1980s and through the 1990s, Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe and his collaborators proceeded to reformulate the theories on the formation of river basins in a geomorphologic respect (geomorphology is the science of Earth`s surface terrains). Through work that showed that nature transports water and sediment out of the watershed in the most energy efficient way possible, he was able to establish equations that, once solved, yielded the drainage pattern that nature will produce under different climatic and geologic conditions.

Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe also spearheaded and formulated the mathematical representation of rainfall as random, active point processes. Because of this it is now possible to simulate rainfall patterns in time and space over many years, creating sequences that mimic how nature may behave in the future and use the results in engineering design or analysis.

Research in Eco-hydrology
Most recently, Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe has defined the concept of eco-hydrology to explain the interaction of the atmosphere and the hydrology with plants and soil in a natural system. In-depth studies within this new field now constitute a new scientific front within hydrology and ecology, and the results of research in this area will be important for the understanding of global carbon cycles and climate variation, for example.

An Author, Teacher and Bridge-builder
Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe`s passion for teaching is well-known, as is his dynamic set to solve problems. He is also a distinguished lecturer and author of many scientific articles and several books. His ability to build bridges between different scientific disciplines is well-known and he has in a meritorious way participated in creating understanding and cooperation among and between scientists and technicians.

Professor Rodr'­guez-Iturbe was born in Caracas, Venezuela, is married to Mercedes and has five children.

Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)