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Water Quality and Management

Objectives

Allowing modern, comprehensive, and versatile training in the field of water management and quality, with a focus on the primary objectives of preservation and protection. This consists of:

1)   acquiring scientific, technical, environmental, economic, and social skills necessary for the interpretation and development of water resources management, monitoring and remediation plans.

General characterization

Code

10745

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

Maria Manuela Malhado Simões Ribeiro

Hours

Weekly - 4

Total - 84

Teaching language

Português

Prerequisites

 Not Required.

Bibliography

Gestão estratégica: Conceitos, modelos e instrumentos by António J. Robalo Santos. Escolar Editora, 2008

Sustainable Water Quality Management Policy. The Role of Trading: The U.S. Experience by C. Pharino, Springer, 2007

Modern Groundwater Exploration, Discovering New Water Resources in Consolidated Rocks Using Innovative Hydrogeologic Concepts, Exploration, Drilling, Aquifer Testing, and Management Methods by R. A. Bisson & J. H. Lehr. John Wiley & Sons, 2004

Groundwater Geochemistry: A practical guide to modeling of natural and contaminated aquatic systems by Broder J. Merkel & Britta Planer-Friedrich and edited by Darrel Kirk Nosdstrom. Springer, 2005

The Management of Water Quality and Irrigation Technologies. Edited by Jose Albiac & Ariel Dinar, 2009.

Teaching method

Lectures and experimental classes. In the experimental sessions, students are invited to apply advanced theoretical and analytical skills to the analysis of water composition. Titration, selective electrode, and chromatographic methods are used to analyze surface water and groundwater.  Students also develop a project on water management and planning, which includes scientific literature research. Field trips are organized to a wastewater treatment plant and a water supply system.

Evaluation method

For approval in the curricular unit, students must meet the requirements of continuous assessment.

Continuous Assessment Requirements

  1. Attendance in at least two-thirds of the classes.
  2. Completion of laboratory classes.
  3. Completion of two tests.
  4. Development of a bibliographic research project on a topic chosen by the students, aligned with the objectives and themes of the course unit.
  5. Oral presentation of the research project during the seminar session held in the last week of classes.
  6. Achieving a final grade higher than 9.5, based on the weighted average of the tests and the research project, calculated as follows:
    Final Grade (FG) = 30% from Test 1 + 30% from Test 2 + 40% from the Research Project.

In case of failure, grade improvement, or partial non-compliance with the requirements of continuous assessment (absence from one or both tests), students may take the resit exam in order to obtain approval in the course unit.

Subject matter

Introduction to basic management concepts.   Water management. Water uses and scarcity. Economic,   social, and environmental value of surface water and groundwater. Technologies and methodologies supporting sustainable water use. Public and private policies for water use   and management. Laws and legal frameworks. Management units (river basins  and aquifer systems). Water quality and suitability for human  activities (municipal, agricultural, industrial and mining). Physical,  chemical, radioactive, and bacteriological indicators of water quality. Natural and artificial water resources. Water recycling and reuse in urban, industrial, and agro-industrial   systems. Water quality potection: pollutants and treatment systems.