GE487 Hydrology and Runoff Management

Contents and structure

Climate change affects the hydrological cycle and water balance from a catchment to global scale. More frequent extreme weather events along with population growth and urban compaction call for new approaches in water-recourse and stormwater management.

The course aims to provide students with knowledge about the principles of physical hydrology, which then form a basis for knowledge-based runoff management. Students will gain an understanding of the physical processes that govern the movement and storage of water within a catchment and learn to quantify hydrological variables, such as river discharge, from both field observations and calculations.

Through seminars and case-based project assignments, this course provides students with skills to assess hydrological problems and make recommendations about strategies and plans for urban and rural runoff management that mitigate the challenges of climate change.

Learning Outcome

 

• Understand the different components in the hydrological cycle and local water balance
• Understand how climate change affects hydrological processes
• Understand the principles of fluid dynamics that govern the movement of water on and beneath the surface of the Earth
• Knowledge on catchment hydrology and relevant methods for hydrologic analysis
• Knowledge on flood propagation and flood frequency analysis
• Knowledge on land-use planning and design of blue-green infrastructure to mitigate rural and urban flood risk

• Conduct field measurements to quantify and monitor hydrological processes, such as river discharge and flood propagation
• Make simple hydrological, hydrogeological and hydraulic calculations
• Work with meteorological and hydrological data
• Use hydrological models and available online tools to solve hydrological problems relevant to runoff and water-recourse management
• Develop plans for local runoff management to make urban areas less vulnerable to future climate change

• Assess scientific literature, technical reports, websites, etc. to gain information on a particular subject
• Formulate own research questions and use theoretical and/or practical approaches to answer them
• Communicate findings in written reports and oral presentations
• Evaluate and provide constructive feedback on project reports and presentations

Entry requirements

90 ECTS in environmental sciences or geoscience at the time of application.

Teaching methods

Lectures, seminars, homework assignments, group work and field excursions.

Field excursions cover different aspects of hydrology and runoff management, such as hydrological monitoring stations, hydropower infrastructure, flood protection infrastructure, and/or municipal water networks.

Compulsory learning activities

Participation in seminars and field excursions. Approval of homework assignments.

Assessment

1. Project work in groups of about 2-3 students (written report and oral presentation) with one common grade. If not approved, the project report needs to be revised and a new version handed in. Each group will act as opponent for another project.
2. Individual oral exam on the overall course content and project work.

In the final assessment, part 1 counts 40 % and part 2 counts 60 %. You need to pass both parts.

Grading A-F.

Examination support material

Dictionaries, writing equipment

More about examination support material