Is Journal of Hydrology a good journal?

Journal of Hydrology is a strong target if the work should teach readers something beyond one basin, aquifer, model run, or monitoring site. It is a weaker fit if a strong regional dataset still needs a transferable hydrological contribution for the main title.

What is the Journal of Hydrology JIF?

The JIF is ~6 (2024 JCR). See the full year-by-year trend and category ranking in our Journal of Hydrology JIF analysis.

What is the acceptance rate of Journal of Hydrology?

Manusights currently treats Selective environmental science journal as an estimate for Journal of Hydrology, not an official journal-published rate. One common reason papers fail is local case without general lesson.

How long does Journal of Hydrology take to review?

Journal of Hydrology typically takes Editorial screening first, but timing varies by editor, field, and reviewer availability. Expect an editorial screen first, then scope routing, then peer review.

Is Journal of Hydrology peer reviewed?

Yes, Journal of Hydrology is fully peer reviewed. All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by Reviewers assess model design, data support, interpretation, uncertainty, and transferability..

All Journal Guides

Journal Guide

Publishing in Journal of Hydrology: Fit, Timeline & Submission Guide

Q: What does Journal of Hydrology look for in submissions?

Transferable hydrology contribution: The work should teach readers something beyond one basin, aquifer, model run, or monitoring site.

Q: What should I know before submitting to Journal of Hydrology?

State the system-level lesson early. The first page should make the hydrological contribution larger than the study location.

Journal of Hydrology fits manuscripts that advance hydrological science beyond a single local case study.

Should you submit here?

Submit if the work should teach readers something beyond one basin, aquifer, model run, or monitoring site. Be careful if a strong regional dataset still needs a transferable hydrological contribution for the main title.

IF ~6 · Selective environmental science journal accepted · Editorial screening first

Best fit if

The work should teach readers something beyond one basin, aquifer, model run, or monitoring site

Not ideal if

A strong regional dataset still needs a transferable hydrological contribution for the main title

Also compare

Scienceand Sci. Total Environment

Impact Factor (2024)

Selective environmental science journal

Acceptance Rate

Editorial screening first

Time to First Decision

Submission guide

Journal of Hydrology Submission Guide

What submitting to Journal of Hydrology actually requires: the Elsevier publishing structure, the full-hydrologic-cycle editorial scope, the broad methodological breadth, and the editorial culture distinguishing the journal from sister hydrology / water-resources journals.

What Journal of Hydrology Publishes

Journal of Hydrology publishes work across the hydrological sciences, including surface water, groundwater, hydroclimatology, water quality, ecohydrology, modeling, remote sensing, and water-resources systems.

Hydrological research with transferable scientific, modeling, observational, or management value
Studies that distinguish general hydrology contribution from local or regional reporting
Manuscripts with transparent data, calibration, uncertainty, and site-to-system reasoning

Editor Insight

“The main Journal of Hydrology fit question is whether the manuscript has transferable hydrological value, not only a well-executed local study.”

What Journal of Hydrology Editors Look For

Transferable hydrology contribution

The work should teach readers something beyond one basin, aquifer, model run, or monitoring site.

Method and data transparency

Editors expect enough methodological detail for hydrologists to evaluate assumptions, uncertainty, and reproducibility.

Correct routing versus Regional Studies

Papers centered mainly on one region need a clear reason they belong in the main Journal of Hydrology title.

Why Papers Get Rejected

These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Journal of Hydrology's editorial review:

Local case without general lesson

A strong regional dataset still needs a transferable hydrological contribution for the main title.

Opaque model calibration

Hydrology reviewers scrutinize calibration, validation, uncertainty, and data limitations closely.

Weak routing against adjacent water journals

Water Research, STOTEN, Regional Studies, and specialist hydrology venues serve different searcher and reader jobs.

Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?

The Free Readiness Scan reads your full manuscript against Journal of Hydrology's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.

Run Free Readiness Scan →

Insider Tips from Journal of Hydrology Authors

State the system-level lesson early

The first page should make the hydrological contribution larger than the study location.

Make uncertainty visible

Uncertainty is not a weakness when it is handled honestly and linked to the claim.

The Journal of Hydrology Submission Process

Scope routing

Before upload

Decide whether the manuscript belongs in the main Journal of Hydrology title or a regional or specialist venue.

Prepare Elsevier package

Pre-submission

Finalize manuscript, highlights, declarations, data availability, figures, tables, and supplementary files.

Submit online

Day 0

Upload through Elsevier's Journal of Hydrology workflow following the live guide for authors.

Editorial assessment

Initial screen

Editors assess scope, novelty, data quality, hydrological contribution, and reviewer fit.

Peer review

After editor invitation

Reviewers assess model design, data support, interpretation, uncertainty, and transferability.

Journal of Hydrology by the Numbers

Publisher	Elsevier
ISSN	0022-1694
Core scope	Hydrological sciences

Before you submit

Journal of Hydrology accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.

Start with the Free Readiness Scan. Unlock the Full AI Diagnostic for $29. If you need deeper scientific feedback, choose Expert Review. The full report is calibrated to Journal of Hydrology.

Run Free Readiness Scan See a sample report

Article Types

Research article

Original hydrology research article

Review article

Synthesis of hydrological research or methods

Data or methods paper

Dataset, model, or method contribution with hydrological utility

Landmark Journal of Hydrology Papers

Papers that defined fields and changed science:

Catchment hydrology studies
Groundwater and surface-water modeling papers
Hydroclimate and water-resources analyses

Preparing a Journal of Hydrology Submission?

Get pre-submission feedback from reviewers who've published in Journal of Hydrology and know exactly what editors look for.

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NDA-protected

Confidential

Primary Fields

HydrologyWater ResourcesEnvironmental ScienceEarth ScienceClimate Systems

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