Hydrology and Catchment Management

This subject is not offered in 2011.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

On completion of this subject students should have a detailed understanding of the hydrologic cycle and its impact on society, be familiar with the possible changes in water values that can be changed by land management, and the costs and benefits of such changes to society, be aware of the hydrologic, social, political, and economic factors involved in matters of catchment management, and have some feeling for the level of inaccuracy involved in hydrologic measurements.

Content includes:

• hydrologic cycle and 'randomness' inherent in it;

• surface water flows and surface water modelling;

• groundwater flow and groundwater modelling;

• water quality and its measurement;

• impacts of land use on water quality and quantity;

• salinity and its impacts on native rivers and streams;

• principles of catchment management;

• questions of water rights and water trading;

• water use conflicts and their resolution;

• restoration hydroecology; and

• long-term variations in stream flow.

The subject will draw heavily on Australian examples, and will involve an overnight excursion to the River Murray area.

One 3-hour examination (60% of final mark) and two essays, each of 3000 words (each essay 20% of final mark). Participation in a number of non-assessable exercises.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

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