Hydrology and Water Resources

Code:

EC0027

Acronym:

HRHI

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Hydraulics, Water Resources and Environment

Instance: 2014/2015 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Hydraulics, Water Resources and Environment Division
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Civil Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIEC	263	Syllabus since 2006/2007	3	-	6,5	75	175

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

JUSTIFICATION

Hydrology is the science devoted to the study of water properties, its distribution and the different processes involved in its cycle. Notions of hydrology are also fundamental for water resources planning and management, a topic that has assumed a greater role in recent decades.

Besides providing an introduction to the students on important basic concepts, knowledge of the basic principles of hydrology and their application are essential to the achievement of any hydraulic work. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to issues related to the water cycle, water resources management, rainwater drainage in urban areas and hydroelectric plants, providing the basic general notions for practice of civil engineering in any of its areas, and also for the themes developed in the specific courses of the Hydraulics, Water Resources and Environment branch.

OBJECTIVES

Provide all the undergraduate students in Civil Engineering with knowledge that will prepare them for the design in the water surface hydrology, water resources management and urban rainwater drainage systems areas. General information about hydroelectric plants. 

Learning outcomes and competences

Knowledge: Characterize the different aspects of the hydrological cycle and the different types of basins, linking and integrating them with the natural systems associated with the development and planning. List the different instruments involved in the management of water resources. List functions, types and elements of hydroelectric plants.

Comprehension: Interpret and use the hydrological data base, namely data available at the National Information System for Water Resources, and mapping them.

Application: Apply the methods involved in the study of hydrology and water resources management. Scale elements involved in the rainwater drainage and find functions, types and bodies involved in hydroelectric plants.

Analysis: Interpret the results obtained by applying the methods and formulas presented for the study of flows and floods and droughts situations.

Synthesis: Explain the relationship and functioning of the different phases of the hydrological cycle, taking into account the variables involved. Manage existing information on water resources using computational tools (geographical information system).

Evaluation: Criticize the methods and choose the most reliable for different situations studied taking into account the intended goals.

Working method

Presencial

Program

•HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE AND WATER USE CYCLE

•RIVER BASINS

Physiographic characteristics. Rainfall. Extreme rainfall. Drench of short duration. Year type classification. Flows study. Data bases, regulations, flows regularization in storage reservoirs. Floods study. Floods in urban areas. Urban rivers.

•WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Institutional framework, the Water Framework Directive, the Water Law, River Basin Plans, Use of geographic Information systems, National System for Water Resources Information, Water resources availability and environmental constraints.

•URBAN RAINWATER DRAINAGE

Drainage basin characterization, Systems Constitution and Conception, Legislation and Regulation, Methods for Flows determination, Collectors Dimensioning, Networks and Accessories, Slopes drainage, Hydraulics crossings in roads, Rainwater Quality, New approaches of Conception. Future prospects.

•HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS

Purposes, Structural and Constructive Types, Hydraulic Circuits, Security Bodies, Impacts.

 

PERCENTUAL DISTRIBUTION:

Scientific Component ‐ 70%

Technological Component ‐ 30%

 

DEMONSTRATION OF THE SYLLABUS COHERENCE WITH THE CURRICULAR UNIT'S OBJECTIVES:

Hydrology is the science dedicated to studying the properties of water, their distribution and the different processes involved in its cycle. The concepts of hydrology are also crucial for the planning and management of water resources, a topic that has assumed greater role in recent decades. Besides allowing to present important basic concepts, knowledge of the basic principles of hydrology and its application are essential to the achievement of any hydraulic work. The aim of this curricular is to introduce students to issues related to the water cycle, water management, rain water drainage in urban and hydroelectric plants, providing the basic notions of general exercise and practice of civil engineering in any of its areas, and also to the themes developed in the curricular units of the specific branch of Hydraulics, Water Resources and Environment.

Mandatory literature

Lencastre, A.; Lições de hidrologia. ISBN: 972-595-079-8
Ribeiro, Agostinho de Sousa Guedes Álvares; Hidrologia
João Reis Hipólito, Álvaro Carmo Vaz; Hidrologia e recursos hidricos. ISBN: 978-972-8469-86-3
Apontamentos preparados pelos docentes
Portugal. Leis, decretos, etc; Regulamento geral dos sistemas públicos e prediais de distribuição de água e de drenagem de águ. ISBN: 972-51-0755-1

Teaching methods and learning activities

- Presentation supported by documentation related to practical situations

- Calculation methodologies.

- Elaboration of practical assignments related to:

(i) hydrological study for viability analysis of an hydroelectric plant

(ii) rainwater drainage of an edified urban watershed

(the cartography and data base for the elaboration of these assignments will be provided in digital support)

- Study visit.

 

DEMONSTRATION OF THE COHERENCE BETWEEN THE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND THE LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The teaching methods allow to apply the methods involved in the study of hydrology and water resources management, design the elements involved in rain water drainage and find the functions, types and bodies involved in hydroelectric plants, interpret the results obtained by applying the methods and formulas presented for the study of flow and situations of floods and droughts, explain the relationship and function of the various phases of the hydrological cycle, taking into account the variables involved, manage existing information on water resources using computational tools (geographical information system).

Software

AutoCad

keywords

Technological sciences

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	75,00
Teste	25,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Frequência das aulas	0,00
Total:	0,00

Eligibility for exams

Achieving final classification requires compliance with attendance at the course unit, according to the MIEC assessment rules. It is considered that students meet the attendance requirements if, having been regularly enrolled, the number of absences of 25% for each of the classes’ types is not exceeded.

Calculation formula of final grade

The evaluation of the course of HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES is performed based on a Final Exam (EF) and two optional tests of distributed evaluation (CAD1 and CAD2).

EF: (written) exam to be held during one of the two Exams periods “Época Normal” or “Época de Recursos”, including a theoretical part, without any consultation, and a practical part with query of the forms provided with the exam, with a maximum total duration of 3.0 h (classification from 0 to 20, rounded to one decimal).

Distributed Evaluation Component (optional):

CAD1: test (written) of distributed evaluation 1, to be performed during a lecture (rated 0 to 20, rounded to one decimal);

CAD2: test (written) of distributed evaluation 2, to be performed during a lecture (rated 0 to 20, rounded to one decimal place).

According to subsection 3.2.d) Rules of Evaluation of MIEC, students are given the option to replace part or all of the distributed evaluation components by the Final Exam. As a consequence, the FINAL CLASSIFICATION (CF) is the largest value, rounded to the unit, obtained by the calculation of the following expressions:

CF1 = 0.750 EF + 0.125 CAD1 + 0.125 CAD2

CF2 = 0.875 EF + 0.125 CAD1

CF3 = 0.875 EF + 0.125 CAD2

CF4 = 1.000 EF

i.e.,

CF = maximum {CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4} (CF rounded to the unit)

Note 1: The tests, associated with ratings CAD2 CAD1, are optional. If the student does not perform any of these tests, the respective weights will be added to the Final Exam.

Note 2: The Final Exam (EF) focuses on all matters.

Note 3: The tests of distributed evaluation (CAD1 and CAD2) mainly focus on issues related with the work developed in practical classes. In due time, the themes on which each of the tests will focus will be indicated.

Note 4: ALL Students enrolled in the Course are classified according to this method, i.e., Students with Special Statute are also embraced by this method of calculating the final grade.

Note 5: To calculate the final grade (CF) ONLY the exam and tests (EF, CAD1 and CAD2) conducted in the CURRENT academic year (i.e., grades obtained in distributed evaluation tests of previous academic years are NOT considered).

Note 6: Students who take the Final Exam (EF) for improvement of the final grade are excluded from this method of calculation (see specific rule). Students with Special Statute that take the exam in the “Época Especial” are also excluded of this calculation method of the final grade.

Note 7: The improvement of the grade of the distributed evaluation tests is not allowed (see specific rule).

Examinations or Special Assignments

They are no special assignments, besides those described in "Final Classification".

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students with Special Statutes are classified according to the method established in "Final Classification", EXCEPT when they take the exam during the “Época Especial”.

Students with Special Statutes that take the exam in the “Época Especial” are evaluated in a single moment, based on an examination with similar characteristics as the Final Exam (EF).

Classification improvement

Students who have already obtained approval can perform IMPROVEMENT OF CLASSIFICATION, only once, exclusively through Final Exam (EF) to be held in the Exam periods (“Normal” or “Recurso”) immediately subsequent to the one they received approval.

As the improvement of classification is exclusively performed by Final Exam (EF) (rating 0 to 20, rounded to the unit) there is no way to improve the classification of the Distributed Evaluation.
The final grade of the Course is the highest between the initially obtained grade and the one resulting from the improvement of classification performed.

Observations

Preliminary Knowledge: The non-attendance and / or approval of the UCs General Hydraulics (1 and 2) may raise additional difficulties.

Working time estimated out of class: 4 hours