Schedule of classes and readings for Environmental Geology

 

 

Week 1:

T          (9/12)               Introduction to Environmental Geology and Rivers

 

Readings:  Bill Bryson introduction; Introduction and Ch. 1 from text

 

Sat.      (9/16)               Field Trip: Sunrise River 9-4

 

 

Week 2:

T          (9/19)               Hydrographs, Sediment Transport, and Deltas

 

Reading:   pg. 126-135 (text); Chapter 5, Mount; Chapter 4, Shelby, Red River Rising       

 

 

Week 3:

T          (9/26)               Field Trip: Cannon River

-         Using and interpreting topographic maps

-         Examine floodplains

-         How humans influence river systems

Levees

Channelization

Dams

 

Reading: pg. 135-146 (text); Chapters 14 & 15, Mount; McPhee, The Control of Nature (Atchafalaya); Chapter 9, Shelby, Red River Rising

 

 

Week 4:

T          (10/3)               Field Trip: Wastewater treatment plant

-         human use of water as a resource

-         sustainability and vulnerability

-         septic systems

-         hazardous waste disposal

 

Reading: chapters 15 & 19 (text); USGS circular; EOS article on dam removal (vol. 84, no. 4, 1/28/03)

Paper topic and abstract due

 

 

 

Week 5:

T          (10/10)             Field Trip: Landfill

-         groundwater issues

-         sinkholes

-         contamination

-         local water issues

-         land use planning

-         remediation

                                                           

Reading:  Goundwater chapter; Manduca article; Chapter 10 (text)

 

 

Week 6:

T          (10/17)             St. Croix River Research Rendevous (Conference)

 

Reading:  meeting abstracts; relevant scientific papers (TBA)

 

 

Week 7:

T          (10/24)             Fall Break

(Tues = Thurs, no class)

 

 

Week 8:

T          (10/31)             Natural processes of landscape change

-         weathering

o       soil development

o       soil as a resource

-         slope stability/failure

o       water

o       vegetation

o       fire

 

Reading:  McPhee (LA hillslopes); Chapter 8 & 11 (text)

Paper due

 

 

Week 9:

T          (11/7)               Natural Hazards                                                                      

-         Plate tectonics

-         Meteorite impacts

-         Volcanoes

-         Earthquakes

           

Reading: Chapters 3, 4, & 5 (text); Appendix A (text); Gould article

 

Week 10:

T          (11/14)             Energy and Mineral Resources

 

Reading: Chapters 12, 13 & 14 (text)

 

 

Week 11:

T          (11/21)             Climate

-         what is climate?

-         what controls climate?

-         geologic history of climate

 

Reading:  TBA

 

 

Week 12:

T          (11/28)             Climate

-         how humans affect climate

-         how do we know (evidence for global warming)

-         what are the possibilities for the future?

 

Reading: TBA

 

 

Week 13:

T          (12/5)               What is Environmental Geology?

-         Special viewing of ‘The Day After Tomorrow’

-         synthesis

 

 

Reading: TBA

 

 

Week 14:

T          (12/12)             What is Environmental Geology?

-         Special viewing of ‘The Day After Tomorrow’

-         synthesis

 

 

Reading: TBA

 

 

FINAL EXAM:  Monday, December 18 (1:30-3:30, Olin-Rice 100)