Last modified: 29 Aug 2024 08:16
Water is one of the world's most important natural resources. It is essential for life and for many economic activities. Yet, water is also one of the world's most undervalued and under-managed resources. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is a holistic approach to managing water resources. It considers all aspects of water resources, including quantity and quality, ecosystem health, and social and economic factors. IWRM is a complex challenge, but it is essential for achieving sustainable water management. This course will introduce you to the principles of IWRM and provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to start implementing it.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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This course will consist of a combination of:
- interactive lectures,
- guest lectures,
- computer practicals,
- a role-play exercise, and
- semi-unsupervised group project work.
The lectures will introduce several topics that are important for IWRM both in the UK and internationally. Guest lectures will be delivered by experts from different sectors involved in IWRM like water supply, nature conservation, or catchment management. They will provide a deeper insight in IWRM aspects within their particular sectoral perspective.
The role-play simulation explores some of the social processes that, together with technical knowledge, determine decision making for water resources management.
Computer practicals will introduce various modelling tools to simulate water resources management, definition and testing of scenarios, and supply deficit risk analysis.
For the group project, the class will be divided in several groups according to the number of enrolled students. Each group will be required to develop a water resources management plan for one different catchment each year using all the concepts dealt with during the lectures as well as supported by modelling results using scenarios and defining measures to cope with future water-related pressures.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
5,000 words The students will be assigned a IWRM case study to work with in groups of 3-4 people during the length of the course. Students will be allowed to use a case study of their choice if they have specific preferences. Applying the different concepts and tools provided during lectures and computer practicals, the students will design and elaborate a simplified water resources plan for the case study including evaluation of water resources availability, assessment of water resources demands, water balance/allocation of resources, effect of hydro-climatic hazards and climate change, potential mitigation and adaptation options, etc. Following the oral presentation defined at the piece of assessment 2, the students will complete a group report detailing the assumptions and process they followed to complete the water resources plan. They will be able to incorporate the feedback provided during the oral presentation. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Contextualise the sustainable management of water resources within the wider aims of integrated water resources management |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Evaluate the complex socio-cultural, geo-political and socio-economic factors affecting management of catchments and water resources |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Assess the balance between water resources availability and water resources demand in complex catchments with multiple competing water uses and users considering environmental limitations |
| Reflection | Create | Critically evaluate existing plans and processes for water resources management and water pollution prevention and control, formulating and assessing mitigation and/or adaptation measures |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Assess the potential conflicts that arise from trying to meet economic, social and environmental objectives, and how IWRM can contribute to resolving these conflicts |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
3,000 words Students will be assigned a IWRM case study to work with in groups of 3-4 people during the length of the course. Students will be allowed to use a case study of their choice if they have specific preferences. Applying the different concepts and tools provided during lectures & computer practicals, students will design and elaborate a simplified water resources plan for the case study including evaluation of water resources availability, assessment of water resources demands, water balance/allocation of resources, effect of hydro-climatic hazards and climate change, potential mitigation and adaptation options etc. For this preliminary piece of work students will work individually in one of the aspects to be later developed in the elaboration of the water resources plan, evaluate existing practices on the chosen aspect within the case of study and contextualise them with the state-of-the-art. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Contextualise the sustainable management of water resources within the wider aims of integrated water resources management |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Evaluate the complex socio-cultural, geo-political and socio-economic factors affecting management of catchments and water resources |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Assess the balance between water resources availability and water resources demand in complex catchments with multiple competing water uses and users considering environmental limitations |
| Reflection | Create | Critically evaluate existing plans and processes for water resources management and water pollution prevention and control, formulating and assessing mitigation and/or adaptation measures |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
The students will be assigned a IWRM case study to work with in groups of 3-4 people during the length of the course. Students will be allowed to use a case study of their choice if they have specific preferences. Applying the different concepts and tools provided during lectures and computer practicals, the students will design and elaborate a simplified water resources plan for the case study including evaluation of water resources availability, assessment of water resources demands, water balance/allocation of resources, effect of hydro-climatic hazards and climate change, potential mitigation and adaptation options, etc. The students will present their findings in an oral presentation where they will answer questions from their peers and the course coordinator. Students will be able to use this feedback to finalise the project report specified in the piece of assessment 3 defined below. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Contextualise the sustainable management of water resources within the wider aims of integrated water resources management |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Evaluate the complex socio-cultural, geo-political and socio-economic factors affecting management of catchments and water resources |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Assess the balance between water resources availability and water resources demand in complex catchments with multiple competing water uses and users considering environmental limitations |
| Reflection | Create | Critically evaluate existing plans and processes for water resources management and water pollution prevention and control, formulating and assessing mitigation and/or adaptation measures |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Assess the potential conflicts that arise from trying to meet economic, social and environmental objectives, and how IWRM can contribute to resolving these conflicts |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Resit Failed Elements in same format if due to extenuating circumstances |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Reflection | Evaluate | Assess the potential conflicts that arise from trying to meet economic, social and environmental objectives, and how IWRM can contribute to resolving these conflicts |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Contextualise the sustainable management of water resources within the wider aims of integrated water resources management |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Evaluate the complex socio-cultural, geo-political and socio-economic factors affecting management of catchments and water resources |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Assess the balance between water resources availability and water resources demand in complex catchments with multiple competing water uses and users considering environmental limitations |
| Reflection | Create | Critically evaluate existing plans and processes for water resources management and water pollution prevention and control, formulating and assessing mitigation and/or adaptation measures |
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