[1] This paper demonstrates the potential of combining observed river discharge information with climate-driven water balance model (WBM) outputs to develop composite runoff fields. Such combined runoff fields simultaneously reflect the numerical accuracy of the discharge measurements and preserve the spatial and temporal distribution of simulated runoff. Selected gauging stations from the World Meteorological Organization Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC) data archive were geographically coregistered to a gridded simulated topological network at 30 0 (longitude  latitude) spatial resolution (STN-30p). Interstation regions between gauging stations along the STN-30p network were identified, and annual interstation runoff was calculated. The annual interstation runoff was compared with outputs from WBM calculations, which were performed using long-term mean monthly climate forcings (air temperature and precipitation). The simulated runoff for each cell was multiplied by the ratio of observed to simulated runoff of the corresponding interstation region from the GRDC data set to create spatially distributed runoff fields at 30 0 resolution. The resulting composite runoff fields (UNH/GRDC Composite Runoff Fields V1.0) are released to the scientific community along with intermediate data sets, such as station attributes and long-term monthly regimes of the selected gauging stations, the simulated topological network (STN-30p), STN-30p derived attributes for the selected stations, and gridded fields of the interstation regions along STN-30p. These data sets represent high-resolution fields that are of value to a broad range of water-related research, including terrestrial modeling, climate-atmosphere interactions, and global water resource assessments.

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Water science finds itself at an interesting and critical crossroads. Sophisticated atmospheric modeling, remote sensing, and Internet‐based exchange of data enable exciting new synergies to develop among scientists, policy‐makers, and the private sector. Paradoxically we find it evermore difficult to validate products from these high‐technology tools and to exploit their full potential due to a severe and sustained decline in available hydrologic data sets.

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While there have been a number of international initiatives centred around hydrological sciences and technical approaches, the social, economic, environmental, and legal and institutional aspects of flood management have been dealt with sporadically and in a limited manner. WMO and the Global Water Partnership have established the Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) to address these issues and developed a concept of Integrated Flood Management (IFM) in 2002. This article is the result of the integrated flood management approaches through pilot projects and multi-disciplinary approaches launched by the initiative since the establishment of the IFM concept. This approach seeks to integrate land- and water-resources development in a river basin, within the context of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and aims at maximizing the benefits from floodplains and at the same time reducing loss of life from flooding. This approach identified the key elements of IFM and recommended that these can be put in place by: adopting a basin approach to flood management; adopting a multi-disciplinary approach in flood management; reducing vulnerability to and risks from flooding; enabling community participation; and preserving ecosystems; and addressing climate change and variability, supported by enabling mechanism through appropriate legislation and regulations.