SC 301 - Applied Hydrology

3 Credits
Outline Effective Date: Academic Year 2025/2026
Revised Date: Aug 13, 2025
Date Approved: Aug 13, 2025

Lecture Hours: 42 Lab Hours: 28

Course Description:
This course focuses on the main components of the hydrologic cycle and how this impacts quantity, quality, and distribution of water resources within a watershed basin. Precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, streamflow, and groundwater flow are examined with reference to drought, flooding, erosion, and sedimentation. Students are introduced to field techniques in stream discharge measurement, and geomorphic characterization of watersheds.

Rationale:
This course is required for second year students within the Environmental Sciences and the Agricultural Sustainability diplomas. As human activities continue to increase, the need for responsible management of the resources within the watershed becomes increasingly important. Water is a vital natural resource that requires diligent management in order to preserve. This course is fundamental to the understanding of the interrelationships between water, the environment, and human requirements.

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
A student who successfully completes the course will have reliably demonstrated the ability to

Conduct common field and data analysis techniques used to conduct a stream crossing assessment and estimate stream discharge using a variety of methods.
Manipulate and interpret hydrologic data to determine parameters such as event frequency, flood elevation, recurrence intervals, evaporation rates, and evaporation amounts.
Describe and explain the fundamental processes occurring within both the hydrologic cycle and the atmospheric energy cycle.
Describe and explain the fundamental surface water, ground water, and fluvial geomorphic processes occurring within a watershed.
Describe and explain the fundamental hydrologic processes occurring in the atmosphere such as cloud and precipitation formation and adiabatic lapse rates.
Predict how environmental changes occurring in a watershed can impact both surface and groundwater.
Describe and explain issues surrounding water resources on the prairies and how policy and regulations are used as a management tool.

Required Resource Materials:
None

Optional Resource Materials:
Reference Texts:

Dingman, S.L. 2015. Physical Hydrology. 3rd ed. Waveland Press, Inc., Long Grove, Il.

Freeze, R.A., and J.A. Cherry. 1979. Groundwater. Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

Gordon, N.D., T.A. McMahon, and B.L. Finlayson. 2004. Stream Hydrology: an introduction for

ecologists. Wiley, Chichester, West Sussex, England; Hoboken N.J.

Hewlett, J.D. 1982. Principles of Forest Hydrology. The University of Georgia Press, Athens.

Ward, A.D., S.W. Trimble, S.R. Burckhard, and J.G. Lyon. (2016). Environmental hydrology

3rd ed. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL.

Maidment D.R. [Ed.].1993. Handbook of Hydrology. McGraw-Hill Inc.

Conduct of Course:
This course consists of approximately 42 hours of lecture and 28 hours of lab.

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports, therefore absenteeism is recorded.

Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours can be required to withdraw and would then automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade).
An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your Doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor following an in-person meeting. Be sure to contact your instructor and ask what they will require from you as verification of each absence. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

NOTE: Any exceptions to the above attendance policy (e.g. timetable conflicts, work-related issues) must be approved in writing by the Department Chair prior to the beginning of the course.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams, or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:
Course and laboratory units are given below. The topics under each unit title are examples of what may be discussed during each unit. To facilitate required prior knowledge for laboratories or unforeseen circumstances, some units may be discussed out of the order found below.

Introduction to Hydrologic Concepts

Hydrology
Water on earth and water cycle
Watersheds
Water budget

Atmospheric Water

Pressure (atmospheric, partial, water vapour, saturation)
Humidity and measurement techniques
Sources of evaporation and transpiration
Evapotranspiration
Estimating evaporation and transpiration

Precipitation

Precipitation forms and measurement techniques
Rainfall intensity, duration and distribution
Storm and flood frequency analysis

Runoff

Components of runoff
Hydrographs and their components
Hydrograph Interpretation

Streamflow

Streamflow terminology
Stream gauging
Measuring and estimating discharge

Groundwater

Groundwater resources
Aquifers
Surface water / groundwater interaction

Watershed Morphology

Erosion and deposition processes
Classification of stream channels
Fluvial landforms
Effects of engineered structures on erosion and deposition
Drainage patterns

Water Quality

Water quality parameters
Water pollution
Point and non-point sources of surface water pollution

Watershed Management

Water resource management
Water quality
Water pollution
Water use in Western Canada
Water governance

Laboratory Schedule:

Laboratory activities include combinations of field data collection and in-class analysis, and may address the following topics:

Stream Discharge
Cross Section Surveying
Water Sampling and Quality
Estimating Bankfull Discharge
Flood Hazard Maps
Hydrometric Graphing and Online Resources
Precipitation and Evaporation
Watershed Morphology

Course Assessments:

Midterm Lecture Exam	30%
Final Lecture Exam (Noncomprehensive)	30%
Laboratory Assignments	30%
Quizzes/Assignments	10%
Total	100%

The distribution of weights may slightly change depending on progress, unforeseen class cancellations or other circumstances.

The final exam is not comprehensive, but the course builds upon previous concepts.

Attendance for laboratories is mandatory. To obtain credit for this course, all labs must be attended, and all lab assignments must be completed and handed in. If you cannot make it to your respective lab session, please discuss it with the instructor beforehand to see if alternate arrangements can be made. If the absence is excused, the instructor may assign an alternative assignment.

Late lab reports are given a mark of zero unless alternate dates are discussed with the instructor beforehand.

Official final grades will be available on My Lakeland. Grades posted in D2L should be considered interim grades.
“Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College policies and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.”

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Letter	F	D	D+	C-	C	C+	B-	B	B+	A-	A	A+
Percent Range	0-49	50-52	53-56	57-59	60-64	65-69	70-74	75-79	80-84	85-89	90-94	95-100
Points	0.00	1.00	1.30	1.70	2.00	2.30	2.70	3.00	3.30	3.70	4.00	4.00

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

Copyright©LAKELAND COLLEGE.
2602 - 59 Avenue, Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada T9V 3N7. Ph: 780 871 5700
5707 College Drive, Vermilion, Alberta, Canada T9X 1K5. Ph: 780 853 8400
Toll-free in Canada: 1 800 661 6490 E-mail: admissions@lakelandcollege.ca

Here at Lakeland College, we acknowledge that the land we gather on is the traditional homeland, hunting, and ceremonial gathering places of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit. The Plains Cree, Woodland Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux people have practiced their culture and languages on Treaty 6 and Métis Region 2 territories for generations and were the original caretakers of this land. Many First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples call this land home today and have done so for millennia. We would like to acknowledge the history we have created together on this land, and to be thankful for the opportunity to walk together side-by-side in friendship, learning from our past, and promoting positive relationships for the past, present and future.