开始时间: 04/22/2022 持续时间: 5 weeks
所在平台: CourseraArchive 课程类别: 物理与地球科学 大学或机构: University of Colorado Boulder(科罗拉多大学博尔德分校) 授课老师: Anne U. Gold Eric Gordon |
课程主页: https://www.coursera.org/course/waterwestus
课程评论:没有评论
Why is water at the heart of so much conflict in the American West? How have major cities and extensive agricultural systems been able to thrive despite most of the region being either a desert or semi-desert environment? How will a warming climate affect the availability and use of water in a region populated by tens of millions of people?
We begin our journey with an overview of the geography of the Interior West and its extreme contrasts, from snow-capped high mountain peaks to bone-dry deserts. We will then look at how humans have learned to adapt to the peculiarities of life in such a dry place as we examine the history of water development in the region and the main legal, political, and cultural issues at stake. We’ll explore the primary role of snow as a water source as we discuss the physical science of water in the west—where it comes from, how it gets used, and how a warming climate could affect its availability.
We’ll use the Colorado River, often referred to as the most controlled and most litigated river in the world, as an in-depth case study. A 1922 agreement over sharing the water among seven states set the stage for conflict among states, tribes, the federal government, and others. We’ll see how scientific research into the climatic variability of the River is informing these conflicts and other policy questions, and who is tackling the big issue of what to do if a mega-drought—or a warming climate—were to lead to a reduction in supply in this critical lifeline for much of the American Southwest. Finally, we’ll explore some critical issues in depth and give you the chance to compare management of water supplies in your area—wherever you are located in the world—to that of the arid West.MODULE 0. Course Introduction and Course
Basics
Lecture 1:
How the Class Works
Lecture 2:
Why Study Water in the Western US?
Lecture 3:
Overview of the Water Cycle
Lecture 4: Major Physical Geography and
Social Characteristics of River Basins in the Western US
MODULE 1. History, Politics, and
Culture of Water Development in the Western US
Lecture 1:
History of Water Development in the West
Lecture 2:
Native American Tribes and Water
Lecture 3:
Water Storage and Delivery Infrastructure
Lecture 4:
The Prior Appropriation System
Lecture 5:
Interstate Water Conflicts and Agreements
Lecture 6:
Environmental Flows; Water and the Endangered Species Act
MODULE 2. Hydrology, Water Demand,
and Climate in the Western US
Lecture 1:
Climate in the Western US and Its Impact on Water Resources
Lecture 2:
Water Quality, Aquatic Habitat, and Drinking Water
Lecture 3:
Groundwater Resources
Lecture 4:
Watershed Impacts
Lecture 5:
River and Flash Flooding
Lecture 6:
Water Demand for Agriculture
Lecture 7:
Water Demand for Urban Areas
Lecture 8:
Impacts of Climate Change in the Interior West
MODULE 3. Case Study: The Colorado
River Basin
Lecture 1: Geographic and Physical
Overview of the Colorado River Basin
Lecture 2: History of Development of
the Colorado River Basin: The Era of Big Dams
Lecture 3: Climate and the Colorado
River Basin: Past, Present, and Future
Lecture 4: The Colorado River Basin
Water Supply and Demand Study
Lecture 5: Human Control vs. Natural
Variability: The Grand Canyon Experimental Flows Program
MODULE 4. Controversial Water Issues
in Depth and Course Conclusion
Lecture 1:
Science, Management, and Reality: The Story of the California Bay Delta
Lecture 2:
Doing More With Less: Water Conservation and New Supplies in Las Vegas
Lecture 3:
A Growing Controversy: Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Supplies
Lecture 4:
Understanding Water Quality Impacts: Boulder Creek Case Study
Lecture 5: The Water-Energy Nexus
Lecture 6:
What Does the Future Hold? Climate Change, Growing Populations, and Solutions
for the Future
Lecture 7: Course Conclusion
This course combines an overview of the science behind water and climate in the Western United States with a survey of the major legal, political, and cultural issues focused on this precious resource.