Environmental Systems: Landscapes and Water

John Pitlick
,

https://www.colorado.edu/geography/john-pitlick-0

pitlick@colorado.edu

University of Colorado
a

University with graduate programs, including doctoral programs

Summary

This course introduces students to the sciences of hydrology and geomorphology, which are two branches of physical Geography dealing with earth surface processes.

Course URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20170116143832/http://www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_1011_f09/'>https://web.archive.org/web/20170116143832/http://www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_1011_f09/
Course Size:

71-150

Course Context:

This is an introductory course that students can use to fulfill a college-wide requirement in Natural Sciences. The course also serves as a prerequisite for upper division courses in Physical Geography. Typically, 50% of the students take the course to satisfy requirements for majors in Geography and Environmental Studies, and 50% of the students take the course to satisfy a general education requirement. The course has a required lab.

Course Goals:

Students should be able to read topographic maps and understand the concepts of map scale and coordinate systems. In addition, they should be able to use the information on maps to draw topographic profiles and calculate relevant indices such as average gradient.

Students should be able to describe soil properties and differentiate soils on the basis of climate, parent material, and age.

Students should be able to retrieve hydrologic data and use those data to perform basic calculations involved in flood frequency analysis. In addition, they should be able to perform simple statistical tests to evaluate long-term trends in precipitation and streamflow.

How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

Lab activities involve a mix of map-based exercises, field trips, and computer-based assignments.