To introduce surface and unsaturated zone hydrology and interactive processes between groundwater and surface water.
The module explores the interactions between subsurface and surface water systems including soils, streams, rivers and lakes and how to measure and quantify the fluxes at the land surface/groundwater interface.
Students in lectures and practical classes will be taught the principles of examining hydrological processes at the land surface and subsurface.
Students in lectures and computer labs will be taught in practical sessions the principles and applications of experimental theory and design, descriptive statistics, spatial data analysis with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and geostatistics.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Understand the physical processes of surface and unsaturated zone hydrology
Design and interpret measurement schemes and data analysis techniques for describing water fluxes in landscapes
Identify drivers and controls for surface water - groundwater exchange
Describe the biogeochemical cycles and ecohydrological processes at interfaces between surface water and groundwater
Perform descriptive statistical tests and data analyses
Characterise and quantify spatial relationships in environmental data
