Capstone Project: Urban Water Portfolio

• Effectively describe the two-way relationship between water resources and human society: how water availability and quality affect economic opportunities and human well-being and how human activity affects water resources;
• Knowledgeably explain the distribution and dynamics of water at the surface and in the subsurface of Earth and how the distribution and characteristics are expected to change over the next 50 years;
• Identify appropriate data collection practices for a variety of hydrologic data, synthesize and analyze data from multiple sources, and interpret the results;
• Develop strategies and best practices to decrease water stress and increase water quality;
• Thoughtfully evaluate information and policy statements regarding the current and future predicted state of water resources, and communicate their evaluations in terms that can be understood by the general public.

A student version of the Capstone Project instructions is available within the Student Materials section of the course website.

The final presentation assignment is a 10-slide presentation (no more) and 2-page written summary (extended abstract with at least five significant references) focused on a specific water problem. This project is worth 10% of students' final grades.

A key element of the presentation will be an independent evaluation and analysis of: (1) data collected from the scientific literature, publicly accessible databases (e.g., USGS or USDA, City/County or State data); or (2) economics, cost/benefits, or pros and cons of active or proposed policies.

Instructions

This project will build on the initial work students did for Phoenix in Module 8.

1. Pick a city from the list below or propose one (Note: to prevent duplication you must check with us and get approval).
   • Los Angeles
   • Las Vegas
   • Denver
   • Dubai
   • Delhi
   • Cairo
   • Benghazi
   • Mexico City
   • Khartoum
   • Addis Ababa
   • Tehran
2. Develop a water portfolio for the future that you believe will solve the problem of water scarcity. Note the percentage of water from each of the sources (including reuse or conservation), and provide a rationale for each component using bullet points or brief text.
3. Outline the estimated costs, the risks (financial, natural, environmental, political), the benefits, and any issues (e.g. cultural, psychological, religious) you anticipate you will need to confront.

The presentations should follow a standard overall structure as shown below:

• topic overview, identification of problem
• study location
• data or policies that form the basis for analysis
• independent analysis and discussion
• recommendation(s) or statement of position supported by the analysis
• list of references (minimum of five; the majority of these should be peer-reviewed)

Submitting Your Files

The presentations and extended abstract must be uploaded to the CMS by the due date provided in your syllabus.

Implementation

The order of presentations will be randomly selected and will be determined in class. The presentation will constitute 65% of your grade for the project, the extended abstract and relevant references count for 25%, and the three reviews you complete will constitute the remaining 10%.

Key elements to consider in your own presentation and your evaluations of others:

1. Overview of problem or issue:
   • Summarize relevant historical context
   • Technical background and hydrologic processes
   • Importance/motivation
2. Setting and/or detailed exposition of topic or case study:
   • Details of case study: geography, economics, description of hydrologic processes of concern (i.e. technical details)
   • Explanation of current or proposed solutions or actions
3. Analysis—will vary depending on project, but this must be your own contribution and analysis of the issue. Examples may include but are not limited to:
   • Evaluation of pros and cons of proposed or implemented solutions
   • Quantitative analysis of water quality data to support a position or recommendation
   • Water budget analysis to demonstrate or compare importance/efficacy of different courses of action
   • Cost/benefit analysis of issue or solution(s)
   • Comparison of multiple example systems or locations
4. Recommendation or position/closing argument. Again, this will vary depending on individual project or topic, but should include one of the following, and must be supported by drawing upon your analysis:
   • Recommendation(s)
   • Take a position for/against existing plans/solutions
   • Discussion of future impacts or problems—sustainability of solutions currently in play
5. References cited

Students are assessed on the basis of the key elements described in the "Implementation" section above. Credit breakdown can be revised based on the specifics of the class. For a hybrid class of ~20–30 students, credit is assigned as follows: oral presentation 65%; extended abstract 25%; peer reviews 10%.