GEOLOGY 305 Water and the Environment

Fall 2005

K. Thorbjarnarson

Office GCMS-228F                                                              Time: TTh 11-12:15

Phone 594-1392                                                                   Place: CSL-422

Email thorbjar@geology.sdsu.edu

 

Week of:                     Tuesday                                                         Thursday

9/1

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Introduction and Water Cycle

9/6 - 9/8

Precipitation, Streams

Streams

9/13 - 9/15
Floods

 

NOVA: Flood**

9/20 - 9/22

Rivers of Gold

Water Diversions: US West Water History and Issues

9/27 - 9/29

Cadillac Desert: Mulholland’s Dream I**

EXAM 1

10/4 - 10/6

Cadillac Desert: Mulholland’s Dream II**

 

Water Diversions, Impacts of Dams and Channels

10/11 - 10/13

Three Gorge’s Dam**

 

Cadillac Desert: An American Nile**

10/18 - 10/20

Groundwater

 

Groundwater/ Impacts of Groundwater Overuse

10/25 - 10/27

Impacts of Groundwater Overuse

 

Water Pollution and Laws

11/1 - 11/3

NOVA: Toxic Trials**

 

EXAM 2

11/8 - 11/10

Groundwater Pollution

 

Groundwater Pollution

11/15 - 11/17

NOVA: Are You Swimming In  A Sewer?**

Black Water Time Bomb**

Wastewater

11/22

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Thanksgiving

11/29 - 12/1

Wastewater + San Diego Water

EXAM 3

12/6 - 12/8

Watershed Runoff and the Cell from Hell

Review

12/13

FINAL EXAM in class time

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** = Movie

Office Hours: M 4-5 PM, TTh 9:30-11 AM

 

 

 

Texts:         Fresh Water by E.C. Pielou

                   California Rivers and Streams by J.F. Mount

 

BLACKBOARD:  Log on to your Blackboard site for class information (schedule, Internet assignments, Powerpoints)

 

 

Grading:  

75% Best 3 of 4 exams [including cumulative final exam]

10% Movie quizzes

15% 2 Internet Assignments

 

Movie Quizzes: A quiz will be handed out for completion during the first 5 minutes of a movie [Don't be late!].  The quiz must be handed in at the end of that class to count toward your grade.  Typically, a score of 50% on all movie quizzes will be graded as 100% for the movie quiz portion of your grade.  Exams will include material covered by the movie quizzes.  Answers to the movie quizzes will be posted on the class website before exams. Movie quizzes will only be returned if a score of less than 50% has been achieved.

 

Internet Assignments:  Described on link on Blackboard.  Each assignment has a different due date. Late penalty of 2% per day – will not be accepted past Absolute Deadline set on web site.

 

Missed Exam Policy:         No makeup exams are given.  If due to illness or other reason you miss an exam, that exam will count as your lowest grade exam and be dropped.