Background
IAH’s Hydrogeology Journal is a premier journal for groundwater professionals, with eight issues (about 150 articles) per year. Since its inception in 1992 it has acquired a large readership worldwide.
Hydrogeology Journal is published by Springer Nature. Authors are able to choose whether to publish open access, or publish the article by the no-fee route by which only journal subscribers and IAH members will have full access.
Libraries can subscribe directly with our publisher. Non-members can view each article’s summary content page and the abstract in several languages.
Content
Hydrogeology Journal’s purpose is to:
- Foster understanding of hydrogeology, a practical discipline aimed at bettering the human situation on earth.
- Describe worldwide progress in hydrogeology.
- Provide an inexpensive and widely accessible forum for scientists, researchers, engineers, and practitioners in developing and industrialised countries alike.
Mainstream articles
A mainstream article in Hydrogeology Journal integrates subsurface hydrology and geology with the other supporting disciplines (such as geochemistry, geophysics, geomorphology, geobiology, surface-water hydrology, tectonics, mathematics, numerical modeling, economics, and sociology) to explain phenomena observed in the field.
Peer-reviewed articles
Hydrogeology Journal publishes peer-reviewed articles in both theoretical and applied aspects of hydrogeologic science, including:
- Theoretical and field studies ranging in scale from local areas and short time periods to regional or global problems and geologic time.
- Techniques and innovative instrumentation in the laboratory and field (for example, hydrologic, geochemical, geophysical, and mathematical).
- Water-resource and related mineral-resource evaluations.
- Reports of observed hydrogeologic phenomena.
- Overviews of hydrogeologic systems of interest in various regions.
- State-of-the-art reviews.
- Philosophy of scientific methods in hydrogeology.
- Interaction between populations and hydrogeologic systems.
- Economics of hydrogeologic systems.
- Ramifications of hydrogeology on both environmental protection and optimal employment of natural resources.
- History of hydrogeology and biographies of eminent hydrogeologists.
Special issues and Topical collections
One issue of Hydrogeology Journal per year is usually a special issue, covering a specific subject; such themed issues are put together by Guest Editors who are regarded as experts in their field.
Topical collections of articles are also published in the journal, within regular issues; topical manuscripts usually require a collection organiser.
All special-issue and topical-collection manuscripts undergo peer review in the usual way. Authors wishing to propose a special issue or topical collection should first contact the Executive Editor, Clifford Voss.
Special issues and topical collections can be accessed via SpringerLink (see link below). A summary list (pdf) of these issues and collections is also given below.
Notable groups of articles
A collection of pedagogical articles, otherwise known as the “Foundations” series, is available on SpringerLink, under the “Collections” tab. [Pedagogy refers to the method by which a subject (here, hydrogeology) is taught in theory and practice.]
Articles grouped as “Profiles of Eminent Hydrogeologists” can also be found under “Collections” on SpringerLink. These articles record the careers and work of hydrogeologists, either of international renown or who have made significant contributions within their own countries. To be considered as a subject, the career of the eminent hydrogeologist must be essentially completed due to retirement from active participation in the profession, or the hydrogeologist is deceased.
“Editors’ Choice” articles are selected for special attention by the journal’s editorial team, for any of several good reasons, including: outstanding science, innovative approach, potentially important conclusions, interesting field area or phenomenon, unusual topic, etc. The recent year’s selection will be found on SpringerLink under the “Journal updates” tab, and a summary list (pdf) of all Editors’ Choice articles since 2010 is given below.
Submission and open access arrangements
UPDATED DECEMBER 2024:
The publisher of Hydrogeology Journal, Springer, has offered a unique benefit to our IAH members for several years, providing half-price Open Access for IAH authors. We thank Springer for having provided this excellent benefit.
This update is a notification to IAH authors that this benefit has ended for all manuscripts that are initially submitted on 12 December 2024 and thereafter (see below).
The half-price benefit for IAH authors is as follows:
Springer’s fee for open access is usually €2,690/US $3,390, but authors who are IAH members will pay a reduced fee of €1,345/US $1,695, provided they remain a member of IAH through the review period, and have initially submitted their manuscript before 12 December 2024. Hydrogeology Journal authors wishing to become IAH members to benefit from this discount will be most welcome to join. Where there is more than one author, both the lead author and corresponding author must be IAH members to enjoy this substantial discount.
A cut-off date has been set for this IAH-member benefit.
Only manuscripts initially submitted by IAH authors before 12 December 2024 to Hydrogeology Journal for possible publication (after undergoing the full review process), will be able to use this half-price Open Access benefit.
Beginning on 12 December 2024, only the normal choices and costs are available for submittals by IAH authors, as described below.
After the review/revision process for a submitted manuscript., when the authors are informed that their article is accepted for publication, the authors then choose how their article will be published. Using Springer’s Open Choice system, Hydrogeology Journal authors can choose either of the following publishing models.
- Open Access – When an article is accepted for publication, the author(s) or funder(s) pay an Article Processing Charge (APC) to our publisher, Springer. The published article is then free to read and download for everyone. All readers have full and permanent (i.e. open) access to the article. (Please note that the discounted OA fee for IAH members only applies to articles that were initially submitted to the journal prior to December 12, 2024.)
- Traditional publishing model – When an article is accepted for publication, no payment is required. Published articles are made available to institutions and individuals who subscribe to Hydrogeology Journal or who pay to read specific articles. Also, IAH members have full access to all articles published in Hydrogeology Journal.
Editorial team
The Executive Editor of Hydrogeology Journal is Jean-Christophe Comte (jccomte@iah.org), supported by a strong international editorial team.
Find out more
SpringerLink – Hydrogeology Journal (link for non-members, and for information on the editorial board, Editors’ Choice, manuscript submission and instructions for authors)
Hydrogeology Journal online (link for IAH members)
Hydrogeology Journal – Special Issues and Topical Collections – Summary list
Hydrogeology Journal – Editors’ Choice articles – Summary list
