Journal profile · WATER RESOURCES
Hydrology Research
ISSN 1998-9563 · eISSN 2224-7955 · International Water Association Publishing · ENGLAND
Hydrology Research: CAS Zone 4 · Environmental Science & Ecology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.61; fully open access; APC about USD 2,500; review 6–12 weeks (community reports); community-reported acceptance: easy; 71 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Hydrology Research is published by International Water Association Publishing and is in Zone 4 of Environmental Science & Ecology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies, Flood Risk Assessment and Management and Hydrology and Drought Analysis, together about 39.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Global and Planetary Change. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Hydrology Research is an international, peer-reviewed journal publishing articles providing a distinct, novel contribution to the science of hydrology and water management, including:surface and groundwater hydrology, including physical, chemical, biological, and ecological aspectshydrological processes, hydrological extremes and the impact of anthropogenic change on hydrological systemsmethodological innovation regarding hydrological observations, data analysis, modelling and managementhydrological analysis for the design, operation and management of engineered and natural water systems, and associated structuresinsightful analysis and new approaches to linking hydrology with the social, economic and legal aspects of water resource managementinnovative, integrated and holistic aspects of the water-energy-food nexusArticles should offer a distinct, novel contribution to the research literature. This might be a methodological innovation, a contribution to theory, improved understanding of processes or principles, or insightful analysis which reveals gaps in our understanding, policies or practice of hydrology and water resource management. Research papers should clearly outline an existing knowledge gap and articulate how the findings address this deficit, including the practical implications for water resources management and the science of hydrology.Hydrology Research is an Official Publication of IWA Publishing, part of the International Water Association. Hydrology Research is also published in partnership with the Nordic Association for Hydrology (NHF), an independent body aiming at promoting hydrology as a science, increasing the understanding of hydrology, and enhancing the application of hydrological methods within applied sciences and water management, generally and in the North. The Association strongly supports international hydrological co-operation. Hydrology Research is affiliated with the Italian Hydrological Society (IHS) and the German Hydrological Society (DHG).
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): WATER RESOURCES
Editor-in-chief Bjørn KløvePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 5 in mainland China (about 23%); most named Mainland China 5, United States 4, Canada 3, United Kingdom 2, Italy 1 (22 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Hydrology and Watershed Management StudiesEnvironmental Science22.9%
- Flood Risk Assessment and ManagementEnvironmental Science9.2%
- Hydrology and Drought AnalysisEnvironmental Science7.8%
- Cryospheric studies and observationsEarth and Planetary Sciences7.2%
- Climate variability and modelsEnvironmental Science5.3%
- Hydrological Forecasting Using AIEnvironmental Science4.8%
- Climate change and permafrostEarth and Planetary Sciences4.7%
- Groundwater flow and contamination studiesEnvironmental Science3.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Water Resources | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Water Resources | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Water Resources | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.61LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 5.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.81LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.9LetPub ·
- h-index
- 80OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,391OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.47OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 100%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 68LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,462 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 87 | 87 | 16 |
| 2025 | 71 | 71 | 200 |
| 2024 | 74 | 74 | 588 |
| 2023 | 102 | 102 | 1,108 |
| 2022 | 79 | 79 | 898 |
| 2021 | 99 | 99 | 1,676 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 22 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewDOAJ
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Fully open accessDOAJ
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | USD 2,500 | Yes | CC BY, CC BY-NC-ND | |
| OpenAlex | GBP 1,750 / EUR 1,975 / USD 2,150 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 2,500 | — | — |
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare1 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- International Water Association Publishing
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 1998-9563
- Electronic ISSN
- 2224-7955
- Society / sponsor
- IWA Publishing
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗DOAJ
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗DOAJ
- Aims & Scope ↗DOAJ
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Fee waivers ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗DOAJ
- Editorial board ↗DOAJ
- Plagiarism policy ↗DOAJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Hydrology Research
What CAS zone is Hydrology Research in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Hydrology Research is in Zone 4 of Environmental Science & Ecology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Water Resources. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Environmental Science & Ecology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Hydrology Research?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.61; CiteScore 5.8, h-index 80.
How long does peer review take at Hydrology Research?
Authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of Hydrology Research based?
Of the 22 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 5 (about 23%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (5), United States (4) and Canada (3). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Hydrology Research?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Hydrology Research is indexed in SCIE, Scopus and DOAJ.
Is Hydrology Research open access, and what is the APC?
Hydrology Research is a fully open-access journal. APC about USD 2,500.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, DOAJ, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .