Socio-hydrology is an emerging field of study that looks at the interaction of humans and water systems across different scales, and the contribution of these interactions to advancing water security. These interactions are bidirectional with anthropogenic activities impacting hydrological regimes, and the modified hydrological regimes, in turn, posing challenges to society for achieving water security. Further, emerging climatic changes and persistent social inequalities have made the dynamics of human-water interactions more complex creating new vulnerabilities and uncertainties. For building climate resilience, and effectively responding to these uncertainties, it is crucial to understand the dynamics of socio-hydrology, through the inter- and trans-disciplinary lens. This necessitates engaging stakeholders effectively to drive adaptive response to increasingly frequent climate extremes (such as floods and droughts) and achieve water security for all considering new forms and modes of governance, policy, planning, and management.

Given the interdependence between human actions and water systems in shaping the future course of water security, this Research Topic focuses on socio-hydrology. To this effect, it aims to cover applied research having focus on innovative methodologies and approaches to assess complex dynamics of human-water interactions; and case studies reflecting the stakeholders’ engagement and participatory approaches in building climate-resilient water and social systems. Further, contributions are welcome that critically utilize inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches to address water (in)security challenges and highlight reforms of governance arrangements and management practices at different scales, i.e. administrative, watershed, sub-basin, and basin.

We invite manuscripts based on conceptual and evidence-based case studies in the areas of:

• Climate and social change impacts on human-water interactions, including historical processes and perspectives

• Socio-hydrological approaches to water resources management

• Community-driven and engaged adaptation and resilience actions to address challenges posed by hydrological extremes (floods and droughts)

• Participatory action research including the role of citizen science in data and information collection for improved decision-making on water resources management

• Innovative water policy and governance reforms for water management at the river basin scale

• Planning and management approaches and practices to build resilience and enhance justice in water security under a changing climate

• Modelling complex dynamics in human-water interaction

• Partnerships, processes, and capacity building for accelerating water-related SDGs in response to a changing climate

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Frontiers in Water

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