207-339 Hydrology and Catchment Management

On completion of this subject students should have a detailed understanding of the hydrologic cycle and its impact on society, be familiar with the possible changes in water values that can be changed by land management, and the costs and benefits of such changes to society, be aware of the hydrologic, social, political, and economic factors involved in matters of catchment management, and have some feeling for the level of inaccuracy involved in hydrologic measurements.

Content includes:

• hydrologic cycle and "randomness" inherent in it;

• surface water flows and surface water modelling;

• groundwater flow and groundwater modelling;

• water quality and its measurement;

• impacts of land use on water quality and quantity;

• salinity and its impacts on native rivers and streams;

• principles of catchment management;

• questions of water rights and water trading;

• water use conflicts and their resolution;

• restoration hydroecology; and

• long-term variations in stream flow.

The subject will draw heavily on Australian examples, and will involve an overnight excursion to the River Murray area.

One 3-hour examination (60% of final mark) and two essays, each of 3000 words (each essay 20% of final mark). Participation in a number of non-assessable exercises.