Module GEOG3987: INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MODELLING

Department: Geography

GEOG3987: INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MODELLING

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• The aim of this module is to provide students with fundamental knowledge of hydrological and hydraulic processes within a catchment through the application of environmental simulation models. The module will focus on a UK catchment and study the role of environmental drivers, pathways and feedbacks, considering water resources but with a particular emphasis upon flood hazards. The module is structured so that the water pathways are modelled from the initial precipitation on the catchment through the fluvial system and on to the routing of water out the catchment. The module will consider how integrated catchment modelling can be used to inform catchment management planning for flood hazard reduction.

Content

• The module will be divided into three blocks and include:
• 1. Environmental simulation models as a predictive tool for understanding catchment hydrological processes.
• 2. Hydrological processes, precipitation to streamflow in lumped hydrological models, hydrological connectivity and time scales in catchment hydrology.
• 3. River and floodplain processes, hydrodynamic routing, inundation modelling.

Learning Outcomes

• 1. Understanding of the primary drivers of flood risk and the interactions between elements of the flood risk system, including feedbacks.
• 2. Understanding of the basics of the hydrological and hydraulic sciences required as inputs to flood risk analysis and the associated tools used in those sciences.
• 3. Explain the basic theory and method behind environmental simulation modelling.
• 4. Assess validity and uncertainty of model predictions.
• 5. How integrated catchment modelling can be used to inform catchment management planning for flood hazard reduction

• 1. Ability to model both hydrological problems and hydraulic problems, including awareness of data issues, calibration and validation.
• 2. Critically assess scientific approaches in catchment management procedure.

• Perform simple model simulations and analysis of the quantitative results.
• Evaluation of model uncertainty.
• Present logical written arguments.
• Presentation skills

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This will be a lecture- based course with linked computer-based practical sessions and presentation-based seminars.
• Lectures will enable students to gain subject-specific knowledge and understand approaches to studying catchment science.
• The computer practical sessions will enable hands on experience of applying environmental simulation models
• Presentations will allow students to integrate different parts of the module within a management context and allow for formative feedback.
• The summative assessment (report write-up) will test subject specific knowledge and skills

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment will be provided through a group presentation of work In one of the seminars students will present their findings from one of the model applications. This presentation will enable the students to demonstrate their understanding of the model, gain experience in both the explanation of the results and how this could be communicated in a catchment management plan. Each student group will receive verbal formative feedback on their presentation.