ENST 274 - Sustaining Water Resources

4 Credit(s)

Water is vital for life and needed for social, economic, environmental and cultural purposes. With so many competing needs, managing water can be contentious. So how do we allocate water resources – who gets what, when, where, and how – fairly and peacefully? In this course we’ll learn the foundations of water science and explore how humans alter the water cycle and shape water flows. We will learn about both the physical and social processes that shape water management and influence the distribution of water resources across the Earth. Through project-based learning you will learn about river basin water management and will evaluate who benefits from these management decisions (who wins) and at what cost (who loses). Finally, we will explore how to support more sustainable and equitable CP Form Rev. 03/17 management practices for water resources – particularly given our changing world. Topics will include water science and budgets, integrated water resources management, dams and infrastructure, water conflict and cooperation, privatization of water resources, as well as the politics and social wellbeing embedded in water resources management. This course is designed to provide a global perspective grounded in specific and relatable case studies that connect local challenges in water resources management to global debates. $100