Abstract

ALDANA-VALVERDE, Angel Luis. The Necessity of the Development of Hydrological Services for the Reduction of Flood Damagess. Tecnol. cienc. agua [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.5, pp.57-62. ISSN 2007-2422.

The inundations problems require integral approaches for joining forces from different types of strategies, complementary between them, with the participation of many stakeholders who have to be properly coordinated. But the hydrological information is the base of all solutions, with requirements in quantity and quality, and it is the responsibility on the part of the hydrological services. These institutions, which can be constituted by several units, have increasing demands, due to the new problems that appear in addition to the former ones. New technical and scientific advances make easier neew challenges, but they need the leadership of highly qualified professionals and specially trained. These solutions, in which the private sector can play an important role, have a cost, but it is very small compared to the losses caused by flooding. Mexico is on the right way for reducing flood losses, but it must assume the need for a major effort to complete the process.

Keywords : Floods; inundations; hydrological services; human resources; modernization; training and education.