Overview
A survey of mountain and cold climate hydrology, with an emphasis on catchment scale processes, datalogger programming, instrumentation and analytical techniques.
How do we know the state of our water resources? How are data collected, and validated? What are the professional techniques of quality control and assurance?
How are observations of water fluxes used in hydrological modelling? What will the impact of future climate change be on water resources?
This course provides an advanced programme in hydrological sciences that develops these critical analytical skills that are essential for employment as a professional water resource manager and hydrologist.
About this paper
| Paper title | Mountain Hydrology |
|---|---|
| Subject | Geography |
| EFTS | 0.1667 |
| Points | 20 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 2 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,627.83 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Eligibility
An undergraduate background in Geography and Earth of Environmental Sciences.
- Contact
- Teaching staff
Assoc Prof Daniel Kingston and Dr Sarah Mager
- Paper Structure
Paper develops two key methodological approaches of contemporary hydrology: handling empirical real-world data (runoff, rainfall, and water quality metrics); and hydrological modelling (validation, calibration, and prediction).
- Teaching Arrangements
One two-hour workshop each week, which are a mixture of seminars, in-class discussion and hydrological model development.
- Textbooks
Content supported by directed readings of academic papers.
- Course outline
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Communication, Critical thinking, Ethics, Environmental literacy.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- To interrogate climatological influences on catchment hydrology
- To explore the role of climate change on stream flow
- To characterise the sensitivity of models to parameterisation
- To undertake analysis of hydrological data
- To characterise the effects of future climate change on mountain weathering processes
- Develop critical reading skills, synthesizing literature and research skills.
- Assessment details
The assessment is comprised of student-led presentations, small critical reflection assignments and/or analytical reports, and a final write-up project that draws together the scope of work developed throughout the course.