This conference proposes to explore permafrost hydrology from an interdisciplinary perspective to tackle three kinds of uncertainties: (1) those concerning the environmental risks caused by permafrost hydrological disturbances in response to climate warming; (2) those linked to the use of numerical modeling when investigating hydrological processes; and (3) those regarding future projections of permafrost hydrology in a warming climate.

Indeed, global warming is threatening the stability of the perennially frozen ground, called permafrost. Across the northern latitudes, the thawing of ice-rich permafrost is already reshaping the topography of the landscapes, modifying surface water distribution, and thereby triggering a broad ecological shift. The associated changes in nutrients fluxes, heat regulation, and greenhouse gas emission (following the release of large carbon pools previously trapped in frozen ground) are expected to have global consequences. As a vector of heat and nutrients, water plays a crucial role in these processes: it contributes to the thermal state of the permafrost and supports the trophic chain. Therefore, understanding cold-region hydrology is essential to anticipate the local and global consequences of permafrost thaw on biodiversity, human health, and further climate change.

The conference will bring together experienced and early career researchers from geoscience, computer science, and environment & society sciences to investigate three core topics:

• DAY1 – Highlighting the local and global risks caused by hydrological disturbances in cold regions;
• DAY2 – Improving the numerical representation of current hydrological processes in cold-regions;
• DAY3 – Improving the accuracy of medium- and long-term hydrological projections in warming cold-regions.

Each session will start with a 1-hour lecture by an experienced invited speaker to provide overviews of the current state of knowledge and present the variety of methods or products available to meet the remaining challenges. Each lecture will be followed by 2 to 3 shorter talks (25 minutes each) by early-career scientists, who will focus on case studies or methodological developments.

Programme Overview

60 participants
6 lectures
17 talks
10 posters

See the full program on the official event website here.

Organizing Committee 

Léa Bussière (external link, Heidelberg University), Lucas Menzel (external link, Heidelberg University)

Venue

Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Karlstr. 4, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.

Registration

To register, please complete the form available in the download section on this page and return it to Léa Bussière (Mail-Link: lbussier@uni-heidelberg.de) by 27 June 2025. The conference is free of charge.
Please note that the plenary hall of the Academy can accommodate up to 60 participants. Should the number of interested attendees exceed this capacity, selection may be based on the statements of interest provided in the registration forms. A confirmation of registration will be sent within two weeks following the registration deadline.

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Cover photo by Christiann Koepke on Unsplash.