How Hydrosystems Work

This course is divided into two parts: one focusing on surface water and atmospheric water, and the other on groundwater. This course builds on the “Water Cycle” course from the first semester and lays the essential foundation for the specialized courses in hydrodynamics and physical hydrology that will be offered in the second semester. It therefore serves as a transitional course between fundamental knowledge of the water cycle and specialized knowledge related to the study and characterization of surface and groundwater resources.

Lectures combined with integrated tutorials are supplemented by practical exercises in the lab using computers and hydrogeological maps.

The objective of this module is to teach the fundamentals of hydrology and hydrogeology necessary for training in water-related professions. Instruction for this module will be delivered through lectures and lab sessions. Half of the module will focus on the basic concepts of hydrology (hydrologic response of watersheds, rainfall processing—IDF curves, Montana coefficients—infiltration, decomposition of flood hydrographs, estimation of peak flows, and the concepts of production functions and transfer functions), while the other half will cover the basic concepts of hydrogeology (unconfined and confined aquifers, hydraulic head, hydrodynamic parameters, piezometric maps, pumping tests, and various types of geological reservoirs).

Hourly volumes*:

            CM: 12

            TD: 5

            Practical Work: 10

            Land: 0

Required prerequisites*:

Have completed the “Water Cycle and Watershed” course in the first semester or possess knowledge equivalent to that course.

Two assessments are offered in this course:

• A so-called “Continuous Assessment” accounting for 40% of the final grade, focusing primarily on understanding the course material and the exercises included in the course;
• A so-called “Final” exam, accounting for 60% of the final grade, covering the entire course.