What We Learned

Week 1: The Basics of Water

Virtual Water

Less than 1% of water on Earth is liquid, accessible freshwater. Because of such scarcity, we discussed the importance of tracking virtual water, or the amount of water needed to produce a certain product.

Hydrological Equations

We discussed the foundational mathematical relationships of hydrology, such as the water balance equation, how to calculate discharge, rating curves, and Darcy's Law of permeability.

Groundwater Hydrology

We learned about how wells are used to mine groundwater from underground aquifers, and how overpumping can deplete groundwater resources.

Fluid Dynamics

We used a flume, a simulated river setup, to demonstrate how friction and physics influence streamflow. We covered flow regimes such as laminar and turbulent flow, as well as the particle movement of different grain sizes.

Week 2: Water in Excess

Flood Hydrology

We learned about the basics of floods, such as their effects on rivers and ecosystems, hydrograph trends, and flood frequency calculations. We also studied flood control methods such as levees and their limitations.

Historical Flood Presentations

We researched and presented about the causes of major historical floods, the hard engineering failures involved, and their devastating impacts on communities.

Dams

We studied the role of dams in water regulation, and sediment transport patterns before and after a dam is removed. We discussed the tradeoffs between the various uses of dams and their impacts on ecosystems.

Fluvial Geomorphology

We learned about the concept of a graded stream and how rivers alter landscapes through downcutting and meandering. We also learned how, over time, rivers slowly fill in through sedimentation, giving rivers an ever-changing structure and layout.

Week 3: Water in Scarcity

Droughts

We learned about different intensities of droughts in various areas. We learned about the causes of the droughts and the steps that cities and communities can take to prevent drought and manage water use when droughts happen.

City Water Resources

We researched and presented about where different cities, such as Las Vegas, get their water and how they use it. We also studied how the water resources in these cities will be affected by climate change, and ways to mitigate problems that might arise.

Water Politics

We learned about how changes in water resources should be advocated for, and that water is a very emotional issue that must be talked about logically. When communities fail to respond to water issues with logic and reason, issues arise. We were able to learn about the politics of water through a number of case studies, which covered examples of how scientists successfully reached their communities with logic and examples of how scientists failed to reach their communities.

Water Economics

We studied how companies like Coca-Cola and IBM are pursuing more efficient and sustainable ways to use water in their products, but also how the privatization of water resources poses threats to water justice. We learned about the economic value of water, how people can sell or lease their water through water markets, and case studies of how agribusiness billionaries have exploited this system.

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