ENVENG 746 : Surface Water Quality Modelling
Engineering
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This class will teach students to develop, apply, and critically evaluate surface water quality models. Modelling problems will typically address how natural and engineered aquatic systems respond to pollutant loads and other environmental factors. The course will first teach students to model generic substances within different settings (rivers, lakes, etc.), subject to reaction, settling, diffusion, dispersion, volatilisation, and advection. The course will then cover the more complex and interrelated dynamics associated with specific water quality constituents of common management interest (e.g., dissolved oxygen, nutrients, temperature, algae). The course will provide students with the structure and fundamental principles to expand models to other potentially relevant substances. Students will use the STELLA Systems Modelling software to simulate water quality processes. At the end of the course, students will be aware of water quality parameters, have a knowledge of chemical and biological transformations in water, be able to formulate mathematical equations and to develop computational models, and be able to simulate the response of aquatic systems under contaminant loadings. Students can use the modelling skills developed in this course to assess the impact on water quality and solve a wide range of problems they face as practising environmental engineers.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
Learning Outcomes
- Develop mass balance models for water quality in lakes and rivers (Capability 3.1)
- Analyse and evaluate the steady state and dynamic response of aquatic bodies to point and distributed loadings (Capability 3.2)
- Create and refine mathematical models for chemical transformation and mass transfer processes occurring in aquatic bodies (Capability 4.1)
- Critically evaluate the environmental impact by applying mathematical formulations for biochemical processes occurring in waterbodies (Capability 4.2 and 6.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Quizzes | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Presentations | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Reports | 40% | Individual Coursework |
| Test | 25% | Individual Test |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
| Quizzes | ||||||||||
| Presentations | ||||||||||
| Reports | ||||||||||
| Test | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 24 hours of lectures, 12 hours of tutorial and computer lab work, 48 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 66 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Online
The course will be virtually offered via Auckland Online.
Attendance is required at scheduled online activities including labs/tutorials to complete components of the course.
The course will include live online events including group discussions/tutorials/lectures, which will be recorded.
Attendance on campus is not required for the test.
Where possible, study material will be released progressively throughout the course.
This course runs to the University semester timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Reading material will be available on Talis. This material will consist of copies of sections from books and papers of relevance to the course.
Health & Safety
Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Health and Safety section of the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Student feedback was positive, but the content has been restructured for simplicity and coherence.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.