Robert Horton
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.031223
Today is the birthday of hydrologist Robert E. Horton, born in Parma, Michigan, in 1875. Horton became New York district engineer of the US Geological Survey in 1900 after analyzing streamflow around the Erie Canal. His work showed that the amount of rainfall that reaches a stream depends on what he called the infiltration capacity of the soil. He then formulated his rules, now called Horton’s laws, that determine stream patterns and drainage. Horton is largely responsible for our detailed understanding of the different phases of the hydrological cycle, such as infiltration, evaporation, transpiration, and runoff. Today the American Geophysical Union awards the Robert E. Horton Medal (below) for outstanding contributions to the geophysical aspects of hydrology.
Date in History: 18 May 1875
