On November 4-8, 2024, polar hydrologists meet in Poland at the Ecological Station “Storczyk” of the University of Wrocław in Karpacz: https://www.storczyk.uni.wroc.pl/.

The ambition is to initiate the School of Polar Hydrology with invited experts and early career researchers from Poland and Norway, addressing crucial scientific issues: terrestrial hydrosphere including rivers, lakes and tundra ecosystem. The School programme will cover hydrochemical aspects, hydrology, hydrological modelling and remote sensing of polar catchments. 

This marks the first Svalbard’s hydrologists meeting since their collaboration and contribution to the chapter in the SESS report (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4294063), which recommended improving hydrological research in Svalbard. The roadmap for future Polish-Norwegian cooperation aiming at preparing a joint strategy for harmonisation and standardisation of the hydrological monitoring in Svalbard will be developed during the School. 

On April 5-7, members of the Core Team conducted a reconnaissance visit in the venue, during which locations for field measurements were selected. Additionally, initial steps were taken towards local cooperation with the Integrated Monitoring of the Natural Environment “Karkonosze” station and the Karkonosze National Park.

Further details will be announced in May 2024.

The School of Polar Hydrology is a part of HarSval – A bilateral initiative for harmonisation of the Svalbard cooperation // WP 2 – Activities aiming at the development of competencies and skills, internationalisation, and increasing visibility of the Polish polar community, implemented in Polish-Norwegian cooperation /// Activity 2.1 The School of Polar Hydrology, more: https://harsval.eu/wp-2/

Funding is guaranteed by the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. www.eeagrants.org