CIROH at The University of Alabama

Last week, CIROH partnered with USGS to host the 2026 Water Observing Technology Forum.

Researchers, federal partners, industry leaders and technology developers came together around this year's focus: the impacts of non-contact water monitoring technologies enhanced with artificial intelligence on water monitoring operations.

The three-day forum was mostly held at the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility on UA's campus. Participants explored industry-led demonstrations and toured the new state-of-the-art facility, including:

- instrument testing laboratories
- hydraulics laboratory
- network operations center, and
- demonstration spaces for emerging technologies

It was a firsthand look at how new sensing technologies are evaluated and transitioned into operational use, and where water observation is headed next.

FLOW Academy students participated and had the opportunity to share their research in a poster presentation.

Special thank you to our sponsors:

Sterling Computers / Dell Technologies
Geolux
Xylem
H2O.ai
Aquatic Informatics
Aquatic Sensors
CSignum
Ericsson
KISTERS North America
Simplicity Integration
Synoptic
Stroud Water Research Center

Learn more by visiting our WOTF 2026 Company Lookbook:https://ciroh.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026_WOTF_Lookbook_Under_2MB.pdf

How do you prepare for a drought before it's obvious? Through stronger science, partnerships and early warning systems. See how CIROH and NIDIS are helping communities stay ahead of drought.

🔗 Read the story: https://awi.ua.edu/2026/07/15/getting-ahead-of-drought-early-warning-systems-in-action/

We're hiring! Help build the cloud infrastructure powering next-generation water prediction research through CIROH.

🔗 Apply today: http://careers.ua.edu/cw/en-us/job/530041

Better flood decisions start with better information.

CIROH is helping transform hydrologic research into practical tools that support flood planning, emergency response, and community resilience across Alabama. By integrating flood modeling, geospatial analysis, infrastructure data, and water observations, decision-makers can better understand risk before disasters happen.

to DevCon 2026!

From research updates to operational collaboration, this year's event highlighted the partnerships driving the future of water prediction. Take a look back at the conversations, demonstrations, and moments that made this year's DevCon a success.

Read the recap: https://awi.ua.edu/2026/06/23/devcon-2026-strengthens-partnerships-advancing-operational-water-prediction/

This week, CIROH welcomed ADECA Alabama Department of Economic And Community Affairs Director Ken Boswell to learn more about our work advancing water prediction and decision support. We discussed how CIROH's research is helping strengthen flood and drought resilience, support emergency management and protect communities across Alabama and beyond.

Help advance the science behind water observations.

We're hiring a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility, applying science and innovation to improve understanding of water flow and sediment transport in streams, rivers, and lakes.

Join a team leveraging world-class research facilities to support the next generation of water monitoring technologies.

Apply today: https://careers.ua.edu/jobs/postdoctoral-fellow-529157-tuscaloosa-alabama-united-states

We're hiring a Postdoctoral Fellow to help advance the future of water prediction.

Join CIROH and the Alabama Water Institute to develop next-generation approaches in AI, remote sensing and large-domain hydrologic modeling that support NOAA's flood forecasting mission.

Apply today: https://careers.ua.edu/jobs/postdoctoral-fellow-529563-tuscaloosa-alabama-united-states

How much water could an ecosystem lose to the atmosphere under ideal conditions? The answer plays a critical role in drought monitoring, water forecasting, and understanding ecosystem stress.

Using data from 246 FluxNet sites worldwide, CIROH researchers developed a dynamic approach to estimating potential evapotranspiration (PET) that adapts to different ecosystems rather than relying on a single fixed assumption.

The result: More accurate estimates of drought stress and water loss across forests, grasslands, wetlands, savannas, and more.

Read the research: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae6464

ICYMI: Dr. Travis Loof, assistant research professor in The University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences and communication and social scientist for CIROH has been selected for UA’s THRIVE 2.0 fellowship, an initiative that brings together faculty and researchers from across disciplines to develop solutions to complex societal challenges.

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CIROH Researcher Selected for University of Alabama THRIVE 2.0 Fellowship - Alabama Water Institute | The University of Alabama Travis Loof, communication and social scientist for the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology, has been selected for the THRIVE 2.0 fellowship. The program supports interdisciplinary collaboration focused on societal challenges, including community resilience, emerging techno...