Watershed science: Linking hydrological science with sustainable management of river basins

Abstract Over the past decades, a number of water sciences and management programs have been developed to better understand manage cycles at multiple temporal spatial scales for various purposes, such as ecohydrology, global hydrology, sociohydrology, supply management, demand integrated resources (IWRM). At same time, rapid advancements also taking place in tracing, mapping, remote sensing, machine learning, modelling technologies hydrological research. Despite those advancements, crisis is intensifying globally. The missing link effective interactions between research resource support implementation UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) scales. Since watershed natural unit science offers potential bridge this link. This study first reviews advances then discusses issues challenges facing community. Subsequently, it describes core components science: (1) analysis; (2) water-operation policies; (3) governance; (4) feedback. framework takes into account availability, uses, quality; explicitly focuses on storage, fluxes, quality cycle; defines appropriate local thresholds through incorporating planetary boundary framework; identifies specific actionable measures management. It provides complementary approach existing addressing current achieving SDGs.