Models for sustainable water management
Course description
This course is designed for students who want to learn more about how decisions are made for sustainable environmental management. This interdisciplinary course has a focus on water quality but will be attractive to students from a range of backgrounds. Participants will gain familiarity with water policies in Agenda 2030 as well as Swedish and European legislation and will learn how models are used to support policy development, implementation and evaluation.
The course includes a mixture of theory, practical exercises and “serious gaming”. Course presenters include modellers, assessment specialists and policy developers. Throughout the course, there is a focus on how using models to support decisions related to water management affects environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainability. Practical exercises will introduce students to a range of water quality models that are used today to support policy assessments. Participants will also participate in a unique, “real world” policy negotiation exercise.
By the end of the course, students will be better equipped to understand environmental policy and critically interpret model results to address current and emerging sustainability challenges.
Entry Requirements
Knowledge of English equivalent to English 6
Course facts
MX0164, Models for sustainable water management, 7.5 Hp
Print syllabus
Syllabus
Finalized by: Jon Petter Gustafsson, 2022-12-09
Valid from : Autumn semester 2023 (2023-08-28)
Level
Second cycle (A1N)
Main field of study
Environmental Science
Grading Scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Course language
English
Entry Requirements
Knowledge of English equivalent to English 6
Objectives
The goal of this course is to give students an appreciation of the role of models and monitoring data in setting and evaluating national, European and global environmental policy. The course highlights the need for high quality data, credible modelling approaches and good practice for scientific communication.
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- Understand the importance of models in the policy setting process
- Describe the relevance of international, European and Swedish policy for setting water quality goals
- Extract water quality data from the SLU national monitoring programmes database and use it to support a model application
- Plan a sampling campaign to collect critical data needed for reducing uncertainty in model applications
- Apply a range of water quality models of varying degrees of complexity to "real world" environmental problems
Content
A number of practical exercises based on real case studies will be used to support and exemplify the theory and cases brought up during lectures and seminars. These include:
- Extracting and evaluating data from the SLU water quality database and other publicly available data sources;
- Streamflow prediction using rainfall runoff models;
- Eutrophication assessment using steady state and dynamic models
- Modelling to support decision making about pollutant reduction targets
The course consists of lectures, exercises and assignments, which will highlight the following topics:
- Water policy - the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, European and national policy in setting the water agenda; how models can contribute to agenda setting.
- Water quality modelling - dimensional analysis and developing appropriate mathematical representations of environmental processes.
- Data collection and evaluation - understanding what types of data exist in Sweden and elsewhere, evaluating the (mis)match between data quality, data availability and model complexity.
- Uncertainty - different kinds of uncertainty and how they can be managed.
- Best practices for communicating model results
- Models in the Policy Process - practical examples of how models are used to support global European and national policy.
Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course
Passed results on the exam and all assignments.
Responsible Department/Equivalent
Department of Aquatic Science and Assessment
Supplementary information
Included in program
- EnvEuro - European Master in Environmental Science
- Soil, Water and Environment - Master's Programme
Module set
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 7.5 | 0001 |
The Course Replaces
MX0145
Other Information
Experience in water related sciences and modelling is recommended, but not compulsory.