Dr Nick A Chappell

LEC174 Hydrology: water in the environment

An OTT river-level recorder based on a float and a shaft encoder

This module is an introduction to the science of hydrology and emphasises the physical processes and their measurement. Two case studies will be used to illustrate how an understanding of hydrological processes can be used to quantify and sometimes solve environmental problems. The first issue to be examined is the 'impact of rainforest logging on the physical environment' and will use data for a region of northern Borneo currently under study. The second issue to be addressed is the 'potential for environmental contamination from a proposed radionuclide repository near Sellafield'. Again, research work will be used to illustrate the hydrological theory. The module is taught by Nick A Chappell, and starts to use the following class text:

Shaw, Beven, Chappell & Lamb (2010) Hydrology in Practice, Fourth Edition, Routledge

Other hydrology texts (LU Library)

Learning objectives are: 1/ Measure waterflows and soil/rock properties, 2/ Manipulate algebraic equations, 3/ Relate physical theory to the solution of environmental problems, and 4/ Describe and manipulate the water balance equation and the groundwater flow equation.

Lecture 1 (Water Catchment Issues)

Lecture 1-2 (Precipitation)

Lecture 3 (Evapotranspiration)

Lecture 4-5 (Riverflow)

Lecture 6-8 (Water pathways and erosion/landslide hazard)

Lecture 9-10 (Subsurface water)

Lecture 11 (Soil water and solute travel times)

Lecture 12 (Revision workshop - optional)

Practical 1 (Karst Hydrology Fieldwork involving dilution gauging exercise)

Practical 2 (Self-guided lab/field practical undertaken in small groups

End-of-module test

Summer exam