About us

The Global Terrestrial Network for Hydrology (GTN-H) is a joint project of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). It is a federated network of major global data centres, linking water-related observations at a global scale, supporting scientific advance and operational applications with regard to climate variability and change as well as water resources assessment and management.

Data and information provided by GTN-H global data centres continue to be essential sources for information for UN, regional and national programmes and projects in support of development and science. During the 18th Congress of WMO (June 2019), the significance of the existing global water data centres and GTN-H as their coordinating mechanism was highlighted as a fundamental pillar to support the GCOS Implementation Plan and recognized as major hydrological initiatives to WMO in hydrological data operations and management (Resolution 25, Cg-18). Additionally, GTN-H is listed in several activities of the 2020‐2022 GEO Work Programme and in particular contributes to the in-situ water activities.

Already in 2001, GTN-H was established by the WMO, GCOS and GTOS, the Global Terrestrial Observation System that is not active anymore.

In 2017, the International Centre for Water Resources and Global Change (ICWRGC) has been mandated by GCOS and WMO to host GTN-H – with certain advantages for the GTN-H network. In 2014, when establishing ICWRGC, located at the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) in Koblenz, Germany, the management of the German Secretariat National Committee for the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO and the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme (HWRP) of WMO was integrated into ICWRGC. GTN-H can now benefit and contribute to our network, reaching from UNESCO, WMO and UN Environment to GEO and GCOS.

Download GTN-H Folder, PDF-File, 2 p., 1.930 KB

The Global Terrestrial Network for Hydrology met on 25-27 September 2019 for its 9th biennial panel meeting at the International Centre for Water Resources and Global Change (ICWRGC) in Koblenz, Germany.