575.731.81 - Water Resources Planning

Course Structure

The course is divided into modules.  The modules can be accessed by clicking Course Modules on the left menu.  A module will have several sections including the overview, required readings, discussions, and assignments. Additional references, either primary or related are also listed in each module for the student’s convenience.   Students are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting.  Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days, exceptions are noted on the Course Outline page.  Students should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

• Water Resources planning trends/conditions
• Hydrologic Fundamentals
• The Planning Process & Water Quality Planning
• Legal and Institutional Framework
• U.S. Water Use Categories and Trends
• Integrated Water Resources Planning
• Water Use Forecasting
• Water Reuse and Conservation
• Economic Evaluation
• Stormwater Planning and Management
• Floodplain Planning & Management
• Models in Water Resources
• Other Planning Issues
• Public Involvement
• Planning History: Environmental and Water Resources
  

Course Goals

By the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Survey the broad interdisciplinary foundations of water resources planning
• Apply critical analytical skills necessary for the development and/or assessment of specific water resource plans or projects, and
• Demonstrate understanding of planning process through the production of independent research, writing and presentation formats

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Describe fundamentals of the water cycle, hydrology and water use trends and categories necessary for water resources planning
• Explain the planning process, its implementation activities, and its various theoretical and historical bases
• Distinguish the various planning tools as well as their applicability and usefulness
• Evaluate components of specific water resource planning projects

Textbooks

Dzurik, Andrew A., Kulkarni, Tara Shenoy and Bonnie Kranzer Boland.  (2019).  Water Resources Planning: Fundamentals for an Integrated Framework (4th ed.).  Lanham, MD:  Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.    ISBN-9781442254008

An electronic version of the same title can be found: ISBN-10-1442254009

Textbook information is available through the bookstore website:  Search the MBS website at http://ep.jhu.edu/bookstore.

Required Software

Students should refer to Help on the left menu for a general listing of all the course technical requirements. 

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that on average, approximately 4–7 hours per week are needed to complete each week's module(s).  Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the texts (approximately 3–4 hours per week) as well as some outside reading and writing homework assignments (approximately 1–2 hours per week).  An additional 1–2 hours/week are needed to write (initial post), read and react (follow-up posts) to each week's Discussion forum.  Quizzes, a term paper presentation, and a final written term paper will also require additional hours of work/week.

Following completion of the weekly assigned module readings students are required to complete individual assignments.  The assignments consist of:  (1) a weekly written homework assignment (found in the "Assignments link" within each module), (2) a minimum of one weekly Initial posting to the Discussion forum (in response to a question found in the module's "Discussion Forum"), and (3) a minimum of one weekly follow-up discussion post regarding the week's discussions.  These requirements should be interpreted as a minimum requirement each week, not as an average of three per week.  These assignment requirements provide students an opportunity to demonstrate to the Instructor their review and understanding of the module's content.

This course consists of four basic student requirements:

1. Preparation and Participation (Class Discussions) (30% of Final Grade Calculation)

Students are expected to have read all reading assignments for each student to be able to knowledgeably participate in the Discussions.  Discussion posts must show mastery/familiarity of the week's assigned readings to receive full credit.  Discussion postings (Initial and Follow-up) should be submitted using Discussions, located on the left-hand tool bar or the Discussion item found within each module. 

Students are required to complete the initial discussion posting no later than 11:55 PM on the evening of the due date (noted in the course calendar).  Students are required to complete a follow-up discussion post for the week's module(s) no later than 11:55 PM on the evening of the due date (noted in the course calendar).  Late submissions will be subject to a reduction in potential credit.

Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on timeliness and contribution to discussions. Preparation and participation are graded as follows:

1. Timeliness (50%) – 1/2 point
2. Critical Thinking (50%) – 1/2 point

Critical thinking is the quality of the student's interaction (i.e., responding to classmate postings with thoughtful responses) with at least one classmate.  Just posting a response to a discussion question is not sufficient; students must strive to interact with their classmates.  Students should be detailed in their initial postings and in their responses to their classmates' postings.  Students should feel free to agree or disagree with their classmates.  Postings must be civil and constructive. The Instructor will monitor class discussions and will respond and/or guide discussions as needed.  All forms of class participation on behalf of the student are expected to be relevant, thoughtful, and non-repetitive, and wherever possible, should lead to further discussion.  These attributes form the basis of the grades for class participation. 

2. Homework (20% of Final Grade Calculation)

Students are expected to have read all reading/video/audio assignments for each student to be able to knowledgeably complete the weekly homework assignment.  In addition, students should work independently to develop concise and complete responses for every homework assignment.  The homework assignments provide students an opportunity to demonstrate to the Instructor their review of, and understanding of, the module's content or otherwise demonstrate to the Instructor that the student has mastered the content of the weekly assigned readings, etc.

Students are required to complete the weekly written homework assignment no later than 11:55 PM on the evening of the due date (noted in the course calendar).  All homework assignments are accessed and submitted via the Assignment item found within each module.  Late submissions will be subject to a reduction in potential credit.

Homework assignments are evaluated by the following grading elements:

1. Timeliness - zero points if submitted late.
2. Completeness - 1 point for attempting all portions of assignment in a reasonable manner based on the week's or homework's requisite readings/videos, etc.
3. Accuracy - 1 point - demonstrating understanding/comprehension of the module(s) content.

3. Student Term Paper Presentation and Final Written Term Paper (10% and 15%, respectively of Final Grade Calculation)

Each student shall prepare a written 8-10-page term paper and a presentation of said paper (work to date) for posting in Discussions.  For specific instructions on the term paper, see "Term Paper Assignment" in Course Modules (listed between modules 1 and 2).  The written term paper must be submitted via the Assignments Icon item (found on the bottom of the Term Paper Assignments module) to the Instructor no later than 11:55 PM on the date specified on the calendar.  Postings of the student term paper presentations (10-minute presentations) in the Discussions will follow the schedule devised during the first few weeks of the course.

The term paper presentation is evaluated by the following grading elements:

1. Organization and clarity of presentation - 3 points
2. Demonstration of research competence - presentation shows that the student is using objective, scientifically based research to adequately assess and analyze the research question at hand - 5 points
3. Professional referencing and documentation of materials presented - 2 points

The final written term paper is evaluated by the following grading elements (5 points each):

1. Well stated research question followed by a logical and ample research protocol
2. Original Research - Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of course materials in conjunction with research topic resulting in unique conclusions
3. A professionally organized, written (in student's OWN words) and documented paper*

*The Instructor reserves the right to utilize "SafeAssign" or any other method, to review any materials submitted by a student for plagiarism.

4. Quizzes (25% of Final Grade Calculation)

Periodically (5 points each), time-limited, quizzes will be administered during the course.  Quiz dates are found in the Course Calendar.  Quizzes will consist of true/false, multiple-choice, or fill in the blank questions.  Questions will test students' comprehension and retention of all assigned readings/videos/recordings, etc.

This course will have 6 quizzes, 5 for credit and 1 with no credit (Practice Quiz).  Each quiz (other than the practice quiz) is worth 5 points, and when combined, comprise 25% of the course grade. Each quiz will correspond to a discrete set of modules and their assigned content.  The quiz schedule can be found in the calendar.  Each quiz is due no later than 11:55 PM on the date shown in the calendar.  Each quiz will made available for a period of approximately 3-4 days.  You will find and complete each quiz in the module in which it is scheduled to be completed.  If accessing after the quiz release date, the quiz should appear after clicking on the quiz title.  Because each quiz is timed, and can only be taken one time, (except for the Practice Quiz) students are encouraged to clear their desk of distractions and be ready to focus on the task at hand.  Allow for complete concentration with no interruptions while taking the quizzes.

The first quiz is a "practice" quiz - the score is not counted as part of the overall course grade. The quiz has 10 questions and is timed.  The questions are true and false or multiple-choice.  Upon opening the quiz, the quiz and timer begin when the student clicks the "Begin" button in the bottom right corner.  Because the initial quiz is for practice (as well as a retention test of the Introduction materials) students can re-take it without limits. This will help students get familiar and comfortable with the quiz format and prepare them for the quizzes that count.

The remaining 5 quizzes will be scored and counted as part of the overall course grade. Each quiz will have 10 questions and will be timed for completion.  The questions will be like those in the practice quiz, mainly true and false and multiple-choice.  The questions will strictly pertain to the assigned readings, videos, recordings, homework, and discussions from the related course modules.  Students who have read/viewed the assigned materials and actively participated in the discussions should know the answers off the top of their head, hence using the textbook or other assigned materials for reference will be of little use.

If a student runs out of time while completing the quiz, the quiz is automatically submitted at the end of the timed period, conveying whatever answers the student has answered up to that point.  If a student finishes early, he/she should make sure they click on the "Save and Submit" button at the bottom of the quiz.  Hitting the “save” button will save work to date but is NOT a substitute for Save and Submit.

Students can learn their scores by returning to the quiz.  Other than the practice quiz, the quiz feedback will be released at one time after all students have completed the specific quiz.  The quiz scores will also appear in the student's grade book. 

Grading Policy

Final grades will be determined by the following weights and scale: 

Final grades will be determined by the following weights:

100–90 = A

  89–80 = B

  79–70 = C

      <70 = F

Course Policies

Collaborative learning is encouraged, using the communication capabilities of Canvas or by other methods.  However, students are required to work independently on homework assignments and quizzes, without assistance from or consultation with others.  If the Instructor has reason to suspect collaboration on homework assignments or quizzes, no credit will be given for the assignment or quiz.

Scores for all assignments, discussions and quizzes will be posted through Canvas and students are expected to monitor the course regularly and complete these activities as instructed.  Due dates will be posted in the Course Calendar.  Specific instructions for submission of homework, quizzes, term papers, presentations and discussion postings are provided in the Course Modules.  Evaluation will be based on timely submission, completeness, and quality of contents.  All assignments must be completed as scheduled, or else no score will be given.  This course does not provide for "extra credit" of any kind, under any circumstances.

It is expected that all assignments and exams will be submitted no later than the posted deadlines found in the calendar.  Late submissions of assignments and quizzes will be penalized, generally by deducting 10% of the grade at a minimum ranging to a score of zero.   Submissions of assignments or quizzes more than one week late will not be accepted, and no points will be awarded.  Exemptions may be granted by prior arrangement for exceptional circumstances.

All students will be held to the highest standards for language and content in emails and discussion interaction (including attachments).  Abusive and derogatory language or unacceptable content will not be tolerated.  All interaction, unless otherwise indicated, must be relevant to the topic being discussed and should show a reasoned approach to the discussion.  If possible, include information from the text and other sources to make your point.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as taking the words, ideas, or thoughts of another and representing them as one's own.  If you use the ideas of another, provide a complete citation in the source work; if you use the words of another, present the words in the correct quotation notation (indentation or enclosed in quotation marks, as appropriate) and include a complete citation to the source.  See the course text for examples. The first introduction assignment is related to plagiarism.  The Introduction assignment must be completed before moving on to the remainder of the course.

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students. This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University is committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. If disability accommodations are needed for this course, students should request accommodations through Student Disability Services (SDS) as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.  For further information about this process, please refer to the SDS Website.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically.  For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity.    If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.