AGRO/NRES 875: Water Quality Strategy

Instructor(s): Daniel Snow

Number of Credit Hours: 3

Cross-listings: Senior standing.

Prerequisites: NRES 475, SOCI 475, SOCI 875, SOIL 475, WATS 475, PLAS 475, AGRO 875, CIVE 475, CIVE 875, CRPL 475, CRPL 875, GEOL 475, GEOL 875, MSYM 475,  MSYM 875, POLS 475, POLS 875

Description: Holistic approach to the selection and analysis of planning strategies for protecting water quality from nonpoint sources of contamination. Introduction to the use of methods of analyzing the impact of strategies on whole systems and subsystems; for selecting strategies; and for evaluating present strategies

Learning Outcomes/Course Objectives:

The overall goal of the course is to provide experience in group decision making for evaluating, communicating and recommending appropriate planning strategies for managing nonpoint source contamination of water resources. Students will use individual expertise together with varied information sources to formulate practical and realistic approaches to protecting water quality and ensure sustainable beneficial use. Students will learn to serve on community water or natural resource planning committees by preparing a single comprehensive water quality strategy report. The report includes an in-depth overview of the extent and causes of the problem, an assessment of the potential solutions, an evaluation of stakeholder acceptance of alternatives, and a plan of action based on a weighted ranking of the alternatives and decision tree models.

After completing the course, students will understand and be able to:

  1. Evaluate planning strategies for managing nonpoint source contamination of water resources including the extent, cause, and justification for public concern.
  2. Assess policy drivers and associated current and pending rules and regulations associated with the problem
  3. Communicate planning strategies for managing nonpoint source contamination of water resources
  4. Evaluate stakeholder understanding and interest in alternative strategies
  5. Recommend appropriate planning strategies for managing nonpoint source contamination of water resources and prioritize alternatives to address the problem
  6. Recommended action plans on specific alternatives to reduce or eliminate the problem
  7. Learn to serve on community water or natural resource planning committees.

The main components of the strategy evaluation include: (1) an evaluation of the extent, cause, and justification for concern; (2) an assessment of policy drivers and associated current and pending rules and regulations; (3) an evaluation of stakeholder understanding and interest in the strategy; (4) an evaluation of alternatives to address the problem; and (5) recommended action plans on specific alternatives to reduce or eliminate the problem. The overall objective is to create a professional and balanced report listing potential actions while considering the interests and trade-offs for all stakeholder groups.