This paper forms an introduction to the hydrological cycle and the hydrology of rivers. The focus is on the development of practical skills for river discharge measurement.
This course should appeal to people seeking a career in water resource management.
About this paper
| Paper title | Rivers and Runoff |
|---|---|
| Subject | Geography |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Not offered in 2026 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,318.20 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- 54 GEOG points or 72 points from Science Schedule C or higher
- Restriction
- GEOG 288
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music, Science
- Eligibility
A foundation earth science paper is also acceptable.
- Contact
- Teaching staff
- Paper Structure
The lecture programme includes the properties of water, atmospheric processes, precipitation measurement, evaporation and transpiration, river behaviour, discharge measurement, and practical applications of hydrological understanding.
The laboratory programme will include measurement of flow and discharge in the field using a variety of statistical techniques in hydrology.- Teaching Arrangements
- The laboratory programme is the heart of this course. The laboratories are designed to introduce and develop the skills required to undertake discharge gauging of rivers and the processing of discharge data.
- Textbooks
Textbook:
Davie. T., and Quinn, N. 2019. Fundamentals of Hydrology. 3rd Edition. Routledge.
Recommended Reading:
Dingman, S.L. 2009. Fluvial Hydraulics. 1st Edition, Oxford University Press.
Herschy, R.W. 2009. Streamflow Measurement. 3rd Edition, Taylor & Francis.
Knighton, D. 1998. Fluvial forms and Processes: a new perspective. 2nd Edition. Hodder.
Wohl, E. 2019. Rivers in the landscape. 2nd Edition. Wiley.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Critical thinking, Environmental literacy, Research.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
On completion of the paper students should:
- Acquire an understanding of the hydrological cycle
- Understand the physics behind different field techniques
- Learn how to measure streamflow and decide which method is suitable for different conditions
- Apply theoretical understanding to real scenarios
- Gain practical experience sampling stream flow
- Gain analytical experience handling hydrological data.
- Assessment details
Course assessment favours collaborative learning through hands-on activities in the laboratory; and is supplemented by take-home quizzes that draw on elements of problem-based learning.
This paper forms an introduction to the hydrological cycle and the hydrology of rivers. The focus is on the development of practical skills for river discharge measurement.
This course should appeal to people seeking a career in water resource management.
About this paper
| Paper title | Rivers and Runoff |
|---|---|
| Subject | Geography |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 2 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- 54 GEOG points or 72 points from Science Schedule C or higher
- Restriction
- GEOG 288
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music, Science
- Eligibility
A foundation earth science paper is also acceptable.
- Contact
- Teaching staff
- Paper Structure
The lecture programme includes the properties of water, atmospheric processes, precipitation measurement, evaporation and transpiration, river behaviour, discharge measurement and practical applications of hydrological understanding.
The laboratory programme will include measurement of flow and discharge in the field using a variety of statistical techniques in hydrology.
- Teaching Arrangements
The laboratory programme is the heart of this course. The laboratories are designed to introduce and develop the skills required to undertake discharge gauging of rivers and the processing of discharge data.
- Textbooks
Textbook:
Davie. T., and Quinn, N. 2019. Fundamentals of Hydrology. 3rd Edition. Routledge.
Recommended Reading:
Dingman, S.L. 2009. Fluvial Hydraulics. 1st Edition, Oxford University Press.
Herschy, R.W. 2009. Streamflow Measurement. 3rd Edition, Taylor & Francis.
Knighton, D. 1998. Fluvial forms and Processes: a new perspective. 2nd Edition. Hodder.
Wohl, E. 2019. Rivers in the landscape. 2nd Edition. Wiley.
- Course outline
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Critical thinking, Environmental literacy, Research.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
On completion of the paper students should:
- Acquire an understanding of the hydrological cycle.
- Understand the physics behind different field techniques.
- Learn how to measure streamflow and decide which method is suitable for different conditions.
- Apply theoretical understanding to real scenarios.
- Gain practical experience sampling stream flow.
- Gain analytical experience handling hydrological data.
- Assessment details
Course assessment favours collaborative learning through hands-on activities in the laboratory; and is supplemented by take-home quizzes that draw on elements of problem-based learning.