Environmental Hydrology

Course:	AOM 4643 Principles & Issues in Environmental Hydrology
Credits:	3
Instructor:	Greg Kiker, Ph.D. Agricultural & Biological Engineering College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

This course offers an introduction to river basin management and planning by providing a foundation of understanding of river basins as a system from biological, hydrological and geopolitical viewpoints. Special emphasis will be focused basic hydrology as well on the planning and management of transboundary basins (interstate and among countries).

This is an intermediate course in Environmental Hydrology intended for upper-division students in agriculture, environmental science and management. The class will have a special emphasis on ongoing management issues in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin, a local river basin in the southeast USA. The class is designed to introduce students to technical tools and concepts used to understand and manage river basins from a system wide context including negotiation and math simulation tools. In addition, a basic hydrology section covers scientific principles of the hydrologic cycle including precipitation, evapotranspiration, infiltration, groundwater flow and surface runoff.

Course Objectives

At the close of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Students will analyze and calculate the basic flows within the hydrological cycle in terms of the quantities of water and energy that move within various states.
   1. Complete simple hydrological calculations concerning general water cycle including energy, storage, precipitation, evaporation, surface and sub-surface flows.
   2. Explain the hydrological cycle as it relates to Florida’s unique water resources
2. Students will describe the basic legal principles and conflict resolution alternatives that are relevant to transboundary river basin management
3. Students will integrate hydrological principles and river management objectives to negotiate and formulate water basin management contracts among opposing viewpoints
   1. Demonstrate how reservoir systems can be used to manage water flows and consumptive uses within a complex watershed
   2. Define and calculate environmental performance metrics for establishing tradeoffs between human uses and ecosystem protection.
   3. Assume a specific, stakeholder role and negotiate water management alternatives within a role play setting.

Image source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Devil%27s_Shoals.JPG