The Council on Hydrologic Systems Science conducts research and provides outreach on knowledge essential to the wise ecosystem use and sustained yield of appropriate quality water. The special focus of the Council is biogeohydrologic processes in natural forested systems, including relationships to water supply and waste-water treatment systems. This organized unit also deals with water dependent products of sustainable value in integrated water resource systems.

Having a strong interdisciplinary nature, this Council consists of faculty members from SUNY-ESF and Syracuse University from the following academic units: Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry (ESF), Environmental and Forest Biology (ESF), Environmental Resources Engineering (ESF), Forest and Natural Resources Management (ESF), Civil and Environmental Engineering (SU), and Earth Sciences (SU). Through the Council, faculty members provide workshops, conferences, publications, consultation, and advising to municipalities, state and federal agencies, corporations, regional watershed advisory groups, technical committees, and professional organizations.

The Council and its members are committed to the development of programs related to water and watershed resources. The presence of the vast diversity of watersheds and instrumentation within the region provides a unique opportunity to understand and quantify the degradation and restoration of watershed resources and services.

ESF offers a variety of degree programs related to watershed resources and is continuously moving forward by adding new faculty and courses to watershed resources-related programs. SU provides additional resources, particularly in the areas of civil and environmental engineering, earth science and the Maxwell School of Citizenship. ESF and its partner institutions have the capacity to further develop world-class faculty who can offer interdisciplinary opportunities in the area of watershed resources.