Field Course Hydrology

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/AM_1169

Course Objective

This course main objective is to instill “hydrological system thinking” in the student's mind. This is done through a combination of practical application of the earth scientific and hydrologic theory given in the period before the field course to solve hydrological questions in the field. The objectives include planning and making decisions about research strategies (this includes defining testable hypotheses), learning to make relevant measurements of all the components of the hydrological cycle (surface water, ground water storage, soil moisture, vegetation, and the atmosphere) and use these measurements to make realistic qualitative and quantitative interpretations regarding the hydrological processes and conditions in the field and their relation to local and regional issues related to water resources. On top of that the students learn how to organize and store their gathered data in a database. The course contributes to the final attainment levels Application of knowledge and insight; Critical judgement and Communication

Course Content

This course covers the practical side of hydrological research through application of geological and hydrological knowledge to solve the water balance of target areas and to study water quality issues. In this course, the students will carry out a research project that includes field work in Luxembourg. Focus will be on developing research skills, including making research questions and work plans, carrying out field measurements, processing data and critically discussing the whole process. The fieldwork course will consist of an introductory part at VU, then fieldwork in Luxemburg, followed by a three-week period after arrival back in Amsterdam to finalize the data processing and the report and to store and describe their data on a repository. During the first weeks of the course, lectures and practicals are given at the VU. During these lectures, you will get an introduction about the fieldwork area and you will be divided into small groups that will be assigned a study catchment. The other lectures and practicals focus on research skills that are needed for the fieldwork and for developing the work plan. In-between lectures, you will be working with your group on your work plan. After these first weeks, we will go to Luxembourg for almost 4 weeks, where the fieldwork will be carried out. During these 4 weeks, the students are responsible for their own measurements. Besides doing measurements, data have to be analyzed and interpreted. Halfway the fieldwork period, each group will give a short presentation about their findings and discuss new ideas. The four weeks of fieldwork will end with presentations at specific locations within the different catchments. Back at VU, you will have another three weeks to finalize your reports and to manage your data.

Teaching Methods

The course is subdivided in three parts. Before the fieldwork preparatory lectures will be organised. In the fieldwork region, each group will be assigned a study catchment in which a hydrological observation network (surface water, ground water, meteorology, etc.) will be installed. Students are expected to work independently and make their own decisions regarding planning and research strategy. Data processing, analysis and modelling are an integral part of the field course to scale up the measurements and link their findings to water resources issues in the region. An individual report will be finalized in Amsterdam during the final three weeks of the course. Prior to the final version, the students are required to send in a draft report which will be reviewed by three peers (each student has to review three draft reports as well). Staff members will be present during the whole course period for supervision and for consultation by students.

Method of Assessment

- Data management (10%)
- Final presentation in the field (30%)
- Publication of report on results (60%)

Literature

Handbook for Hydrological Field Measurements. Adapted from: Boris M.van Breukelen, Michel M.A. Groen, Koos Groen, Ko vanHuissteden, Richard A.M. de Jeu, Vincent E.A. Post, Jaap Schellekens andMaarten J. Waterloo (2018). VU University Amsterdam.

Target Audience

First year MSc Hydrology Programme students

Additional Information

The course coordinator will send you an e-mail asking for informationabout your participation in this course in January. Besides registeringfor this course via the VUnet portal please respond tothe e-mail request of the coordinator. The courseis partly subsidized by the faculty and the students are obliged to payfor the other part of the course (travel, residence costs, etc.).

Entry Requirements

Admission to this field course is granted to students who have beenadmitted to the Hydrology MSc Programme. Furthermore, students must havecompleted the course Measuring Techniques in Hydrology and, beforemid-April, must have passed at least two of the courses CatchmentResponse Analysis, Groundwater Processes and Water Quality.

Recommended background knowledge

The student should have a good general knowledge of the subjects discussed in the basic theoretical courses M.Sc. Hydrology master, i.e. Catchment Response Analysis, Ecohydrology, Groundwater Processes, Water Quality, Unsaturated Zone and Near Surface Hydrological Processes. Participants will need to work with GIS for analysing and displaying spatial spatial data and will need to be familiar with field methods.