2019/20 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SOEE3287 Catchment Processes and Management

10 creditsClass Size: 40

Module manager: Benjamin Mills
Email: b.mills@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2019/20

Pre-requisites

SOEE2170

Water Quality

Module replaces

SOEE3286

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Introduction to taking measurements of natural water chemistry and interpreting the results in terms of natural and anthropogenic processes

Objectives

This module provides students with the opportunity to interpret physical and chemical water measurements in terms of both natural and contaminant driven processes. They will have an understanding of the natural geochemical processes that control freshwater chemistry, and the properties of the important groups of organic and inorganic water pollutants and the ways in which these properties dictate their fate within natural waters. They should be able to interpret chemical measurements on contaminated waters in terms of processes controlling attenuation and biodegradation in both natural and engineered remediation, and predict the likely fate of contaminant plumes. The importance of local, national and European legislation will be highlighted on a catchment-scale basis of management and the initiatives to manage non-point source (NPS) water pollution e.g. Sustainable Urban Drainage Networks (SUDS) will be discussed.

Learning outcomes
1) Have knowledge of the processes controlling the flow and chemistry of natural waters;
2) Have knowledge the processes that determine the fate of groundwater contaminants;
3) Have developed skills for analysis of natural water chemistry;
4) Have demonstrated ability to evaluate the impact of different attenuation processes on groundwater contaminants.
5) Understand the main issues in controlling water quality
6) Understand the role of legislation in pollution control
7) Understand the influence land use activities on water quality
8) Understand the importance of storm events in generation of water contamination
9) Understand the biological consequences resulting from physical and chemical changes in hydrology and chemistry
10) Understand the roles of management strategies and initiatives in terms of the setting and management of criteria.

Skills outcomes
Use of water testing field kits
Interpretation of field and laboratory data
Understanding combined chemical and ecological problems

Syllabus

1. River Aire Case Study Introduction
2. River Aire Fieldwork There will be 2 days of fieldwork in the River Aire catchment to support the lecture material.
3. Introduction to the module; orientation of module structure in relation to assessment and learning outcomes
4. Natural water Geochemistry I. Purpose and principles of monitoring and understanding natural water chemistry, including routine groundwater chemical analysis and groundwater facies, and presentation of groundwater chemical data.
5. Natural water Geochemistry II. Inorganic weathering reactions and the chemical evolution of natural water along its flowpath, including the concepts of pH buffering, and an introduction to how mineral dissolution, ion exchange and sorption reactions effect the total dissolved load.
6. Natural water Geochemistry III. Bacterially mediated redox reactions and how these contribute to the chemical evolution of natural water on its flowpath, including the concept of electron acceptors.
7. Contaminants and their properties. Major contaminant groups and their sources; urban contaminants, sewage and agrichemical pollution.
8. Water pollution in urban catchments. Non point source contamination; ecological impacts; remediation (SUDs)
9. Catchment and Water quality management. UK and European legislation, the role of the Environment Agency and other stakeholders

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	7	2.00	14.00
Fieldwork	2	8.00	16.00
Group learning	2	5.00	10.00
Independent online learning hours			60.00
Private study hours			0.00
Total Contact hours			40.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Revising course material
Working on group presentations (formative)
Working on individual report (summative)

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Discussion during fieldwork
Discussion during lectures
Feedback on group presentations after presentation
Staff office hours

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2000 words	100.00
Oral Presentation	15 mins per group	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 08/05/2018

Disclaimer

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