Watershed Science & Management

Catalog description

This course is framed through a watershed science lens, where land use decisions can be assessed through monitoring impacts on the quality and volume of water, which in turn leads to the related impacts to soils, riparian corridors and indicator and keystone species. Students will master rapid field assessment procedures that are used as the first step in a response strategy that narrows the focus in order to conduct more in-depth, targeted analyses, which then can inform appropriate actions that avoid and/or mitigate potential impacts. These field techniques will be complemented by developing computer-based skills in modeling water related impacts resulting from potential changes in a watershed’s land use. Such theory and skills provided in this course can be used at multiple scales of analysis from landscape conservation decision-making and management of watersheds, down to development of a specific parcel in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts.