ENVS2761 Hydrology

2020

4.5

1 x 120-minute lecture weekly
5 x 60-minute tutorials per semester
1 x 8-hour excursion per semester

1 of EASC2712, EASC8712 has been successfully completed

Water is critical to develop and maintain life on the earth. The hydrological cycle provides water resources for human activities and natural ecosystems. In some situations it can lead to hazards (e.g., flooding) and degrade water quality (dryland salinity), particularly with anthropogenic disturbance and global climate change. This topic covers fundamental knowledge of water distribution on the earth, and all the main hydrological pathways from the atmosphere to land and to oceans. It provides the basic skills necessary to quantify the distribution and movement of water on and beneath the earth's surface. Water quality is also briefly discussed. The topic provides fundamental knowledge for more advanced hydrological topics and other water-related environmental topics.

The educational aim of this topic is to introduce the principles of hydrology, to improve the student's understanding of the hydrological processes and their ability to address actual water resources and water related environmental issues.

At the completion of this topic, students are expected to be able to:

1. Describe the different compartments of the Earth's terrestrial hydrosphere and the transitions of water between these compartments, including the role of vegetation
2. Understand the movement of water at and below the land surface, as well as in the atmosphere
3. Perform basic calculations of water balance, flow rates and resistance times
4. Provide basic understand of solutes in water
5. Appreciate the relation between hydrology and other environmental science disciplines, as well as the societal context