Syllabus for Global Hydrology

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course the student should:

• be able to understand basic principles of energy balance at the soil surface
• have the ability to carry out micrometeorological measurements and data analysis
• be able to understand the hydrological processes occurring on regional and global scale in different climatic conditions
• have an overview of hydrology of different climates with a deep insight in an individually chosen climatic region
• have an insight of water use and concepts of water management in various sectors
• be able to relate the effect of human activity on water resources leading to problems of water quality and water availability
• be able to identify different international organisations responsible for water resource management of catchments at the international scale or work out policy documents for the management of global water resources
• have the ability to address effects of climate change on water resources and water quality in different regions of the world.

Content

Theoretical aspects of Micrometeorology, energy and water fluxes between earth and the atmosphere. Energy balance, evaporation and precipitation. Discharge and runoff. Soil water and groundwater; aquifers. Measurement methods and analysis of surface and goundwater. Hydrological processes in different climatic zones: from poles to the equaters. Water resources in an international perspective: water boundaries. Water management. Virtual water. Human impacts on water resources; fragmentation, dams and chemical pollution. Water use in different sectors (municipalities, industrial and agriculture).

Instruction

Lectures, seminars, project work and project report.

Assessment

Examination at the end of the course. To achieve grading 3, 4 or 5 individual project reports and presentations at seminars should be graded as passed. The examination is divided into written examination 6 ECTS-credits, seminar presentations 1 ECTS-credit and project work 3 ECTS-credits.