Hydrology

This learning unit will focus on the following concepts:

1) The watershed ( definition, geometric, geological, and physiographic characteristics; hydrological behavior)

2) Precipitation ( Definition of precipitation, concepts of showers and intensity, spatial analysis of point measurements (Thiessen, isohyets), temporal analysis of point measurements (return period, Montana))

3) Evapotranspiration ( interception, evaporation, transpiration, evapotranspiration, Turc and Thornthwaite formulas)

4) Infiltration (definition of infiltration capacity, characteristics of the unsaturated zone, concepts of water content, hydraulic conductivity at saturation, water potential, balance of forces and soil water status, factors influencing infiltration and water profiles, Horton’s law)

5) Runoff ( formation of surface runoff, runoff coefficient, subsurface flow, groundwater-river relationship, decomposition of flood hydrographs)

6) The hydrological balance (the water cycle and the hydrological balance at various spatial and temporal scales)

7) Hydrometry (principles and measurement techniques + fieldwork)

Hourly volumes:

CM: 12:00 p.m.

TD: 12:00 p.m.

Practical training: 6 hours

Land: 6 hours

Understand the physical processes underlying the flows involved in the water cycle at the watershed scale; determine a hydrologic balance at various spatial and temporal scales.

none

100% CC, broken down as follows:

- processing of field data (hydrometry and soil)

- a presentation based on a scientific article in English

- Written exam covering the entire course, tutorials, lab sessions, and fieldwork

Description of the topics/hands-on activities covered during your field trip(s) and details on the destinations/sites

- river gauging techniques (electromagnetic current meter, floats, salt gauging) near Montpellier (the Lez River at Castelnau-le-Lez, Mosson?, another site to explore)

- In situ measurement of hydraulic conductivity at saturation using the Beerkan method and the Guelph infiltrometer. Measurement of water content using FDR-type moisture probes. Location: generally on campus.

- know how to delineate the boundaries of a watershed and calculate its geometric characteristics

- know how to spatially interpolate precipitation data

- know how to determine peak flow rates with defined return periods in order to design hydraulic structures

- know how to determine a runoff coefficient based on a soil’s infiltration capacity and on the analysis of a flood hydrograph

- be able to determine a water balance for different systems at various spatial and temporal scales

- Know how to measure the hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil in situ (theory and practice)

- Master river gauging techniques (theory and practice)