The module provides in-depth coverage of physical hydrology and river management with a focus on integrating catchment-scale hydrological and landscape processes and their controls as influenced by land use and climate change.
The integrated hydrology and river management components of the module will enable students to understand and critically evaluate the science behind catchment-scale hydrological problems under land-cover alteration, flood, drought and climate change; and to equip students with critical analytical skills in devising sustainable water management plans. The hydrology component will cover a) the physical basis of water cycle at catchment scale including water input, storage and outputs, and b) contemporary global issues in catchment management affecting water resources including emerging tools for sustainable water management. The river management component develops understanding of river ecosystems, then explores how impacts are quantified and mitigated using various management and restoration strategies.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Critically evaluate fundamentals of catchment water cycling under land use and climate change and its implications for water quantity
Explain the key drivers of the hydrological cycle and their functioning in catchments across environmental and human modification gradients.
Describe the purpose and potential of river management approaches to maintain and restore and/or rehabilitate river habitats.
Demonstrate understanding of issues related to human-induced environmental change in riverine habitats.
