Unit name | Floods, Flows and Erosion in River Basins |
---|---|
Unit code | GEOG20002 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | I/5 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
Unit director | Professor. Bates |
Open unit status | Not open |
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
GEOG10003 Key Concepts in Human and Physical Geography and GEOG10002 Geographical History, Thought and Practices |
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
School/department | School of Geographical Sciences |
Faculty | Faculty of Science |
This unit comprises two elements: ‘Hillslope Hydrology’ and ‘Flood Hazards’ . It will provide a comprehensive introduction to hydrological and erosional processes on hillslopes, and river hydraulic processes relevant to flooding and flood inundation.
Hillslope processes govern the way water is routed to river channels within basins and form the fundamental starting point in the hydrological analysis of a basin. Without understanding processes that govern flow quantities, pathways and timings through slopes we have limited ability to determine flooding processes, biogeochemical transport, and responses of drainage basins to climatic changes. Therefore, this module will focus on hillslope hydrological processes and their impact on basin-scale hydrology, as well as on erosional processes.
Flooding is the world's most frequent natural disaster and is expected to cost the world economy $1Tn by 2050. In the UK alone we spend over £1Bn per annum on flood prevention, and geographers play key roles in managing flood risk within central and local government, the insurance sector, the Environment Agency and in specialist consultancies. This module provides an introduction to flood risk science, and in particular focuses on how flood risk is estimated. The module will give an overview of recent fundamental scientific developments that are transforming our ability to manage floods.
Aims:
On completion of this Unit students should be able to:
The unit will be taught through a blended combination of online and, if possible, in-person teaching, including
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. GEOG20002).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.