COURSES

Goals

The main goal of the course is understanding of hydrological cycle, material transport through hydrosphere and interactions with lithosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. The course focuses on interactions between man and natural environment, as well as the consequences of human activities for environment degradation and protection. Students learn to understand the water cycling and related hydrochemical and hydrogeological processes at the surface and underground and the availability of water, and their relation to human activities. They also learn the basic techniques for determination of hydrological parameters.

Curriculum

Hydrosphere and hydrological cycle Precipitation: formation and classification of precipitation, geographical and temporal distribution, interactions with atmosphere and geosphere, precipitation measurement, extreme precipitation events, erosion Infiltration and Soil Water Processes: soil-water relationship, basic soil characteristics, soil-water retention, soil water balance, soil water analysis, infiltration rate, water movement through soil horizons, interactions of water and water-borne substances with soils Evaporation: basic evapotranspiration processes, soil and plant evapotranspiration, water retention in soil and vegetation, water uptake, evaporation and evapotranspiration measurements, input parameters, calculation Surface Runoff, Interflow, and Subsurface Drainage: watershed characteristics, runoff characteristics, estimation and forecast of runoff, extreme events, subsurface water flow, modifications of surface flow in water management Stream Processes: interaction between river and landscape, river evolution, material transport, catchment management Soil and water: soil erosion, soil loss, sediment balance concept Hydrogeology: groundwater flow, water-rock interaction, aquifers Human Impacts on the Hydrologic Cycle: water status assessment, urban hydrology, forecast and regulation of flood events, water retention, water treatment systems, landfills Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Applications