ESC-40019 - MGeoscience: Water Resources
Coordinator: Zoe Robinson Room: WSF24 Tel: +44 1782 7 34303
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 7
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733615

Programme/Approved Electives for 2023/24

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

Not available for those students who have taken module ESC-30020 Water Resources at Level-6.

Description for 2023/24

Water is a vital resource to life on Earth. Pressures on water resources are growing due to increasing population, decreasing quality of water and climate change. In order to effectively manage water resources it is important to understand hydrological and hydrogeological processes and both problems and potential solutions surrounding both water quantity and water quality, and the requirements of the human and ecological water users.
This module explores the area of sustainable water management, from issues of dam developments, and transboundary water problems, to innovative new management approaches and concepts such as water footprints and virtual water. Students develop a wide range of skills including the use of hydrological and hydrogeological data to understand the risk to water resources from a proposed development, as well as developing an understanding of the problems and potential solutions associated with the sustainable management of water across the world and in different environments.

Aims
To enable students to develop an understanding and appreciation of the problems surrounding water resources and the conflict between potential water users, to assess the environmental, economic and social impacts of potential solutions to water resource problems, and to enable students to evaluate approaches to develop more sustainable management of water resources.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/esc-40019/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

describe, explain and critique the nature and causes of water resource problems and conflicts: 1,3
make an informed judgement on the risk to water resources from a proposed development based on knowledge and understanding of hydrological, hydrogeological and geochemical processes: 1
illustrate and discuss the contested and incomplete nature of knowledge and understanding in the context of water resources: 3
review the major impacts of landfill leachate on water resources: 2
evaluate potential solutions to water resource problems and their environmental and social effects based on a knowledge and understanding of research at the forefront of the discipline: 3

Study hours

20 hours content
20 hours independent weekly preparation
80 hours coursework preparation
30 hours independent study

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Report weighted 50%
Report
A 2250 word report covering a qualitative assessment to the risk to water resources from a proposed development

2: Literature Review weighted 20%
Literature review on the impacts of landfill leachate
1250 word literature review on the impacts of landfill leachate on water resources

3: Review weighted 30%
Professional body journal article
2000 word article for a Professional Body journal (ie. Environmental Scientist) choosing a water resource issue and reviewing problems with past approaches and evaluating more sustainable solutions.