Measurement & Monitoring of Hydrologic Systems

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to measurement and monitoring equipment/techniques commonly used in analyses and design of hydrologic systems and will provide students the opportunity to learn and apply basic measurement techniques that serve as critical tools in professional practice in water resources. During the first part of the course, the instruments and techniques commonly used in water resources assessment, including rainfall monitoring, flow monitoring, and interest as part of the Sustainability Institute's Sustainable Communities Collaborative. Data generated over the course of the semester are used to develop a report that is shared, along with the data with a community partner. In the second part of the course, mapping development is explored, which serves as a critical aspect of water resources engineering and planning. ArcGIS serves as a primary software tool used in engineering design and water resources planning, and students will learn to develop maps to present and process various watershed - data including land use data, soils data, and hydrography data. Various aspects of the course will coalesce around the concept of the watershed being the basic unit of water resources analyses and design, and students will experience how various measurement techniques and approaches are necessary tools for practicing professionals. This course will be useful to any undergraduates seeking degrees in a major related to water resources planning, engineering, or technology.