Unit 4: Irrigation and Groundwater Mining part of Water, Agriculture, Sustainability
Chris Sinton, Ithaca College
Is groundwater mining sustainable? In Unit 4, students compare and contrast long-term (decades) groundwater well levels in six states representing the East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest Plains states. Satellite ...

Unit 5: Agriculture and Freshwater Pollution part of Water, Agriculture, Sustainability
Chris Sinton, Ithaca College
Units 3 and 4 of this module explored how water resources are used for agriculture in the United States and how this can vary depending on location. In Unit 5, students explore how agricultural practices can affect ...

Unit 1: What is Sustainability in the Context of Water? part of Water, Agriculture, Sustainability
Robert Turner, University of Washington-Bothell Campus
In this three to four class unit, students will: Assess the case for a global water crisis and its relevance in America. Expand their understanding of sustainability as a contestable concept and movement. Consider ...

Unit 3: Crops and Irrigation Patterns in the United States part of Water, Agriculture, Sustainability
Chris Sinton, Ithaca College
This unit is designed to allow students to quantitatively assess how much water is used for irrigating crops and how this varies across the United States. This unit also has students link water use to the economic ...

Unit 2.1: Hydrologic Impact of Land-Use Change part of An Ecosystem Services Approach to Water Resources
John Ritter, Wittenberg University; Meghann Jarchow, University of South Dakota; Ed Barbanell, University of Utah
In this activity, students model the impact of land-cover changes on stormwater runoff using the EPA's National Stormwater Calculator (Calculator). The students are introduced to the Calculator through a ...

Unit 5. Net Zero Water Buildings part of Water Sustainability in Cities
Steven Burian, University of Utah; Gigi Richard, Fort Lewis College; Manoj Jha, North Carolina A & T State University; Marshall Shepherd, University of Georgia
Unit 5 addresses the concept of Net Zero Water of buildings. Net Zero Water can be defined in different ways. For this module it means a building's water needs are supplied 100% from harvested rainwater or ...

Unit 4. Urban Landscapes and Water Use part of Water Sustainability in Cities
Gigi Richard, Fort Lewis College
Students are introduced to evapotranspiration (ET) and how ET varies with meteorological factors and plant factors. A pre-class video and worksheet introduce students to estimating landscape water needs from ET and ...

Unit 6. Rainwater Harvesting part of Water Sustainability in Cities
Steven Burian, University of Utah; Manoj Jha, North Carolina A & T State University; Gigi Richard, Fort Lewis College; Marshall Shepherd, University of Georgia
Unit 6 covers the preliminary design of a rainwater harvesting unit. Pre-class assignments provide background on rainwater harvesting. An active learning exercise steps student teams through the process of sizing a ...

Unit 7. Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure part of Water Sustainability in Cities
Steven Burian, University of Utah; Manoj Jha, North Carolina A & T State University; Gigi Richard, Fort Lewis College; Marshall Shepherd, University of Georgia
Unit 7 continues the use of the CME Building Case Study to explore water sustainability in the context of a building. The activity is extended to the catchment level, and a new tool for catchment level storm water ...

Unit 1. Module Introduction part of Water Sustainability in Cities
Steven Burian, University of Utah; Marshall Shepherd, University of Georgia; Manoj Jha, North Carolina A & T State University; Gigi Richard, Fort Lewis College
Unit 1 introduces the Water Sustainability in Cities Module. The content establishes the foundational definitions of sustainability, sustainable development, and water sustainability in cities. Key sustainability ...