Water Resources Management

WRM 2200. Introduction to Water Resources Management (I, II, III; 3) Introductory course in water resources management designed to give students an interdisciplinary view of the nature of water as a resource. Topics include: Hydrologic Cycle, soil ecology, hydrogeology, irrigation and crop water requirements, water pollution and economics of water policy. 

WRM/AGR 2450. Soil Science (I, II, III; 4) This course introduces students to soils; their formation, classification and survey. It covers physical, chemical, and biological characteristics; soil management and its role in crop production. Lab is required as part of the four-hour course credit. Students are to register for both course and laboratory. Three-hour lecture and two lab contact hours. Prerequisite: CHM 1202, PHY 2612, and BIO 1500 or permission of the instructor. 

WRM 3302. Water Resources Policy (II; 3) An examination of major issues in water management and the development of policies at various levels of government that attempt to deal with those issues. Emphasis on the political aspects of policy development. Consideration of land use policy as it relates to water management issues. Prerequisite: WRM 2200. 

WRM 3306. Socio-Economic Issues in Water Management (I; 3) A review of social, economic and other factors which influence the development of water management programs and the implementation of water management technologies. Problem solving in the selection and application of appropriate technologies given certain social and economic constraints. Prerequisite: WRM 2200 or permission of the instructor. 

WRM/AGR 3308. Environmental Law (II; 3) A case by case study of state and federal legislation relative to water use. Federal laws relating to water and environment; Land use legislation as it impacts the management of water resources and environment is also considered. Prerequisites: WRM 2200 or AGR 1150 or Co-requisite: ENE 2200. 

WRM 3310. Streams and Lakes (II; 3) Introduction to the physical, chemical and biological ecology of streams and lakes. Emphasis on the structure and functions of natural ecosystems and man’s impact on his natural environment. Field laboratory experience includes the use of nets, seines, traps and chemical and electronic monitoring equipment and the analysis of ecological data. Three one hour lectures/one two-hour lab. Prerequisites: BI0 1500 and WRM 2200. 

WRM 3311. Water Resources Economics (I; 3) Principles of economics as applied to water supply and the regulation of water quality including cost-benefit analysis, pricing, discounting spillover effects, economic incentives, etc. Prerequisites: AGR 1150 and WRM 2200. CSU-ENE|GEL|GEO|WRM COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 2020-2021

WRM 3312. World Water Resources (II; 3) A survey of world water resources by geographical area. An examination of the relationship of the availability of water resources to the political and economic stability of regions and nations. Prerequisite: WRM 2200. 

WRM/AGR 3330. Soil and Water Conservation (II; 4) Hydrological processes in agricultural fields - rainfall, infiltration, evaporation, evapotranspiration and runoff; Ground Water Processes; Water conservation practices; Soil erosion due to rainfall, its effect on agricultural productivity and water quality-estimating soil loss from agricultural lands using Agriculture Research Service (ARS-USDA) models - Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and its revisions; Practices to mitigate soil erosion; Design of grassed waterways, terraces and conservation structures; Wind erosion -estimation using ARS-USDA models and its mitigation; An examination of the federal, state and local organizations which carry out soil and water conservation programs. Field experience includes on-site observation of soil and water conservation practices. Three-hour lecture and one-hour lab/field work. Prerequisites: MTH 1750 and WRM 2200 or AGR 1150. 

WRM/AGR 3335. Irrigation and Drainage (I; 3) A first course in the study of irrigation and drainage and practices. Soil structure, soil moisture processes and infiltration; evapotranspiration processes and their applications in irrigation and drainage; Models for evapotranspiration and introduction to irrigation scheduling; Irrigation and drainage practices in different parts of the world; Introduction to on farm and main systems in large scale irrigation projects. Water control and distribution in large scale systems. Sprinkler irrigation for non-agricultural purposes and the on- site observation of irrigation and drainage systems in the area. Prerequisites: MTH 1750 and WRM 2200 or AGR 1150. 

WRM 3340. Hydrometry (II; 2) Techniques for the measurement of water in the atmosphere, and surface and sub- surface media; Soil moisture estimation, humidity measurement; rainfall measurement using recording gages and remote sensing techniques; Discharge measurement in constructed systems - weirs and flumes; Stream flow measurement using current meters, electro-magnetic and acoustic instrumentation; Aquifer parameters estimation using drawdown tests; Accuracy of and errors in measurement; Assurance and control of quality of water data. One- hour lecture/one two-hour lab. Prerequisites: WRM 3330. 

WRM /GEO 3370. Introduction to Geographic Information System (I; 3) Topics of instruction will include analyses of selected, spatially distributed information of natural resources and other societal parameters. Nature, characteristics, specification, types, acquisition, processing, organization, and management of spatial or geographic data. Application of the basic functional and analytical capabilities of GI systems using raster methods and vector methods. The course will include practical instruction on commonly used geographic information software (GIS). Prerequisite: MATH 2500 or Higher. 

WRM 4402. Urban Water Problems (II; 4) An examination of water problems faced by urban America and solutions to those problems. Urban Hydrology, Wastewater treatment, the supply of quality drinking water, storm water management, flood protection, water for recreation, urban fishing, economic development and infrastructure requirements as pertaining to urban areas and the integrated management. Water infrastructure rehabilitation assessment; Causative water and environmental factors on health. Prerequisites: MTH 1750 and WRM 2200. 

WRM 4403. Water Transportation Systems (II; 3) A survey of water transportation principles and projects including deep and shallow draft ports, small boat harbors, locks and dams, and river control structures. The economic, physical and political aspects of transportation systems are emphasized. Prerequisites: WRM 3306 and 3330. 

WRM 4404. Water Resources for Recreation (II; 3) A study of the use of water for recreational purposes. Concepts of leisure play and recreation are defined and related to recreation behaviors which are dependent upon water. Social, political, economic and environmental policies affecting the recreational use of water are reviewed and discussed. Prerequisite: WRM 3306.

WRM/AGR 4406. Agricultural Development (I; 3) The role of agriculture in the economic development in the world. The course examines theories of agricultural growth and agriculture policy issues, with extensive use of case studies. Emphasis will be placed on the use of economic theory and its application to specific problems in the field of agriculture. Prerequisite: WRM 2200 or AGR 1150 or permission of the instructor. 

WRM/AGR 4420. Irrigation Systems Design (II; 4) An applied course in the design, of on-farm irrigation systems. Advanced evapotranspiration modeling and irrigation scheduling; Design and operational principles of surface, sprinkler and drip irrigation systems; Water losses in irrigation systems and the definitions of various efficiencies associated with on-farm and main irrigation systems. Hydraulic structures associated with distribution of water systems. On-farm application equipment selection and maintenance. Irrigation system performance and irrigation water management impacts on design; Introduction to irrigation water quality. Field visits to sprinkler irrigation systems in the area. Prerequisites: WRM/AGR 3335 or permission of the instructor. 

WRM/AGR 4425. Agricultural Drainage Systems Design (II; 4) An applied course in the design, construction and maintenance of drainage systems for agricultural fields. Surface drainage systems layout and design. Design of hydraulic structures associated with surface drainage systems - chutes, drops, outlet structures and culverts. Surface drainage systems in irrigated areas. Sub-surface system design principles. Steady state and unsteady state theories of tile drainage. Introduction to analysis of oxygen transport in root zone and the effect of submergence. Salt balance and water quality issues in subsurface drainage. System layout, construction materials and methods. Design of structures associated with subsurface drainage systems. Cost recovery of drainage systems and maintenance issues. Field visits to drainage systems in the area. Prerequisite: WRM/AGR 3335or permission of the instructor. 

WRM 4435. Soil and Water Pollution Control (II; 4) An advanced course that deals with physical and chemical characteristics of pollutants in soil and water and their fate and transport; thermodynamic properties of organic and inorganic pollutants in soil and water; equilibrium partitioning of pollutants in the environment; air to water partitioning using Henry’s Law; vapor pure liquid partitioning using Raoult’s Law; soil-water partitioning using Freundlich, Langmuir and BET sorption isotherms; modeling fate and transport of pollutants in soil and water, non- aqueous phase liquids. Use of 1-D groundwater models such as CXTFIT; Groundwater contamination using CHEMFLO and MODFLOW; Overview of remedial technologies discussion on engineering controls such as pump and treat and soil washing, biological treatments such as bioremediation and phytoremediation; case study on non- point source pollution. Prerequisites: ENE 3309 and ENE 3325. 

WRM/GEO/GEL 4470. Applied Remote Sensing (II; 3) Students will learn about different instrument systems attached to aircraft and satellites that collect environment data. Practical instruction on how the remotely acquired data sets are processed and interpreted using appropriate software will be given. Interpretation of multi-spectral scanners, RADAR and thermal imagery data; Data analysis for detection of changes; image interpretation; study of spectral characteristics of vegetation, soils, water, minerals, and other materials. Case studies will be presented for the different types of application. Prerequisite: MTH 2501. 

WRM 4596. Internship (I, II, III; 3) On the job training in agencies and/or companies engaged in activities related to environmental engineering/ water resources management. Not open to students who have participated in the co-op program

At CSU, even undergraduates do research, whether it’s at the campus lab or off-campus at an internship. You’ll work with professors and research scientists, and some students present and publish nationally. 

You’ll hear about research, the bedrock of the field from guest speakers throughout the year. And you’ll begin to imagine the career paths you can take with your degree and the impact you’ll be able to have. 

Students who qualify for induction have access to national speakers and networks in the discipline.