Module 1

This is a virtual university Internet course.
Offered Fall, Spring, Summer of every year.
3 credits

This course will introduce students to the foundations of watershed hydrology and management. Each unit presents a key concept, followed by descriptions of available data, monitoring and evaluation techniques, and assessment tools pertaining to that concept. At the end of each unit, students must complete an exercise using the unit's key concepts and tools. Initially, exercises are designed to increase familiarity with simple quantitative tools and models, such as the RUSLE (revised universal soil loss equation.) Later in the course, the exercises become more integrative.

I. Introduction to Watershed Management (Unit 1)
A. What is a watershed?
B. Why manage on a watershed basis?
C. Watershed delineation
II. Watershed Hydrology or Watershed Systems (Units 2-9)
A. The Hydrologic Cycle, Water Balance
B. Climate and precipitation
C. Soils and infiltration
D. Interception and evapotranspiration
E. Groundwater
F. Streamflow and runoff
G. Water chemistry
H. Aquatic ecosystems (eutrophication, habitat disturbance, etc.)
I. Social and economic systems
III. Issues in Water Resources (Units 10-11)
A. Point source pollution
B. Agricultural nonpoint source pollution
C. Erosion
D. Urban nonpoint source pollution
E. Water scarcity
F. Flooding
G. Drinking water protection
H. Wastewater treatment and septic systems
IV. Legal and Institutional Tools (Units 12-14)
A. Clean Water Act
B. Michigan government agencies
C. Drain Code
D. Land use planning and zoning
E. Watershed organizations
V. Watershed Management Plans (Unit 13)
A. EPA's Top Ten Lessons Learned in Watershed Management
B. Restoration techniques
C. Stakeholders
D. Outreach and education

Required Text: "Hydrology and the Management of Watersheds" Kenneth N. Brooks, et. al., Third Edition, Iowa State University Press.
It can be purchased in several local bookstores (MSU bookstore , Student bookstore) or at the Iowa State University Press , or Amazon.com. (Used copies are often available at Amazon).

• Schedule of Courses
• Enrollment Procedures

MSU is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution

Module 2

The second course in the Virtual Watershed Program explores the process of developing and implementing a watershed management plan, from problem definition through data collection, public consultation, and program evaluation. Case studies will showcase watershed management plans that have been implemented in other watersheds, with special emphasis on watershed planning in the Great Lakes region.

Unit 1: Using Adaptive Management to Guide the Planning Process
Unit 2: Identifying and Networking with Local Agencies and Citizens
Unit 3: Getting to Know Your Watershed
Unit 4: Defining a Critical Area/Focusing for Effect
Unit 5: Surveying the Water to Inventory Your Critical Areas
Unit 6: Prioritizing Pollutants, Sources and Causes
Unit 7: Determining Objectives for Your Watershed Goals
Unit 8: Identifying Systems of Best Management Practices (BMPs) Needed
Unit 9: Considering Additional Management Alternatives
Unit 10: Identifying and Analyzing Existing Local Projects, Programs and Ordinances
Unit 11: Informing and Involving the PublicUnit
Unit 12: Determining Economic Impact and Legal Implications of Management Options
Unit 13: Developing an Evaluation Process
Unit 14: Assembling Your Watershed Plan

Required Text: Isobel Heathcote, "Integrated Watershed Management Principles and Practice" John Wiley & Sons; ISBN: 0471183385 (1998). It can be purchased in several local bookstores (MSU bookstore, Student bookstore) or at Amazon.com, or John Wiley & Sons.

Required Text: None.

Contact Information: Instructor: Dr. Jon Bartholic bartholi@msu.edu  Phone: 517-353-9785

Grading Policy:

Once enrolled, the class is available at http://angel.msu.edu

• Schedule of Courses
• Enrollment Procedures

MSU is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution

Module 3

This module is the third in a series of four courses about watershed management. Watershed Assessments and Tools presents techniques for assessing and predicting physical, chemical, biological and socioeconomic conditions within a watershed, including indicators, water quality monitoring, bio-assessment protocols, and pollutant loading models.

Unit 1 Introduction to Watershed Assessments & Tools
Unit 2 Predicting Hydrologic, Hydraulic, Water quality, & Sediment Transport Response Using a Modeling Approach
Unit 3 Mechanics and Meanings of Geographic Information Systems
Unit 4 Introduction to Remote Sensing
Unit 5 Reading Contour Maps and Their Applications for Watershed Management
Unit 6 Soil Erosion and Sedimentation
Unit 7 Soil, Runoff, and Agricultural Non Point Source Pollution
Unit 8 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Techniques Overview
Unit 9 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Techniques Part 1
Unit 10 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Techniques Part 2
Unit 11 Survey Techniques
Unit 12 Water Quality Indicators & Sampling Protocols
Unit 13 Managing your Watershed with Information Technology/ GIS/ Modeling Techniques
 

Required Text: None.

Contact Information: Instructor: Dr. Jon Bartholic bartholi@msu.edu  PHONE: 517-353-9785

Grading Policy:

Once enrolled, the class is available at http://angel.msu.edu

• Schedule of Courses
• Enrollment Procedures

MSU is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution

Module 4

(ACR) RD 891 (h20shed4) Legal, Financial and Institutional Frameworks for Watershed Management

Watershed managers operate in a complicated environment of federal, state and local laws, some of which create financing and organizational mechanisms for watershed management. This fourth course in the Virtual Watershed Program will introduce key legal, financial and institutional structures for watershed management, including an in-depth study of Clean Water Act programs. Michigan governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in managing water resources will receive special attention in this course

The topics covered in Module 4 are:

Unit 1: Introduction to Course and Overview of Watershed Characteristics Selecting Your Watershed Study Area

Unit 2: A History of Water Pollution Control in Michigan, 1890-2002

Unit 3: State and Citizen Initiatives Supporting Watershed Management in Michigan

Unit 4: Socioeconomic Issues in Watershed Management

Unit 5: Understanding Watershed  Conflicts¹

Unit 6: Analyzing Watershed Conflicts

Unit 7: Handling Watershed Conflicts

Unit 8: Phase II Stormwater Regulations

Unit 9: Developing Local Policy

Unit 10: Case Studies in Local Action

Unit 11: Reflections On Your Home Watershed

Unit 12: Great Lakes Policy and Institutions

Unit 13: Future Directions

Required Text:

"Water Resources Planning", Andrew Dzurik, Third Edition, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Lanham, MD ISBN 0-7425-1744 It can be purchased in several local bookstores (MSU bookstore , Student bookstore) or at the publisher, http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com

Contact Information: Instructor: Dr. Jon Bartholic bartholi@msu.edu  PHONE: 517-353-9785

Grading Policy:

Once enrolled, the class is available at http://angel.msu.edu

• Schedule of Courses
• Enrollment Procedures

MSU is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution

©2004 Institute of Water Research, MSU. All rights reserved.