The Hydrologic Sciences Academic Concentration (HSAC) is available to both Masters and Ph.D. degree students. The program requires students to complete a core curriculum in Hydrologic Sciences, which comprises courses in the following six Topics:
Courses may be transferred in from non-UF Master’s programs via the petition process. Transfer credit must be approved by the University of Florida before being considered as a course for the concentration. Undergraduate courses will not be used to satisfy requirements for the concentration. Although select courses may be petitioned for a different topic, no course can simultaneously count toward more than one topic areas in a student’s plan of study.
HSAC Topic | Course Code | Course Title | Course Description | hf:tax:hsac_topic | hf:tax:hsac_department | hf:tax:hsac_topic2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Topic 1: Subsurface Hydrology | Vadose Zone Water and Solute Transport Modeling | Unsaturated zone modeling of water flow and solute transport processes. Comparative analysis of alternative mechanistic modeling approaches of different complexity. | topic-1-subsurface-hydrology | abe | online-option | |
Topic 1: Subsurface Hydrology | Groundwater Flow 1 | Porous media flow. Darcy’s law. Conservation of mass. Laplace equation. Flownets. Well hydraulics. | topic-1-subsurface-hydrology | cwr | ||
Topic 1: Subsurface Hydrology | Contaminant Subsurface Hydrology | Physical-chemical-biological concepts and modeling of retention and transport of water and solutes in unsaturated and saturated media. Applications of environmental aspects of soil and groundwater contamination. | topic-1-subsurface-hydrology | cwr | ||
Topic 1: Subsurface Hydrology | Surface and Groundwater Interactions | Classic and new literature that deals with interactions between surface and ground water. Emphasizes submarine ground water discharge in estuary and coastal zones, hyporheic zones of streams, and karst aquifers. | topic-1-subsurface-hydrology | gly | online-option | |
Topic 1: Subsurface Hydrology | Groundwater Geology | Understand basic concepts of groundwater flow and the relationship between groundwater flow and subsurface geology. Apply these concepts to solve groundwater problems. | topic-1-subsurface-hydrology | gly | online-option | |
Topic 1: Subsurface Hydrology | Hydrogeologic Modeling | Application of computer modeling to hydrogeologic problems through use of analytical and numerical solutions. | topic-1-subsurface-hydrology | gly | ||
Topic 1: Subsurface Hydrology | Environmental Soil Physics | Transport processes for water, solutes, gases, and heat in the root zone. Important soil properties (physical, chemical, and biological) that influence the transfer processes characterized in the field and laboratory. Also offered as a distance education course. | topic-1-subsurface-hydrology | sws | online-option | |
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Stochastic Modeling in Ecology and Hydrology | Stochastic modeling is introduced through a problem-based approach. Selected papers are studied in depth; derivation of their main results unpacked. Examples include stochastic models of biodiversity, soil moisture, and rainfall. Students pick stochastic models to study for final projects. Students enjoy deeper understanding from unpacking these otherwise seemingly mysterious results. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | abe | ||
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Simulation of Agricultural Watersheds | Characterization and simulation of agricultural watershed systems including land and channel phase hydrologic processes and pollutant transport processes. Investigation of the structure and capabilities of current agricultural watershed computer models. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | abe | online-option | |
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Special Problems in Civil Engineering (Urban Stormwater System Design) | Surface-water system design including: time of concentration, peak runoff rate, open-channel flow, gravity storm sewer, culvert, stormwater pumping, filtration systems, hydrograph generation, flood routing, site layout, site grading and permitting. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | cgn | online-option | |
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Advanced Surface Hydrology | Physical and quantitative concepts and principles of hydrologic processes and their engineering applications. Reynolds Transport Theorem, the Continuity and Momentum Equations applied to phenomena and processes. Hydrologic analyses, including unit hydrograph theory, lumped flow routing, and distributed flow routing. Engineering concepts of hydrologic design, design storms and hydrologic chemistry. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | cwr | online-option | |
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Intermediate Fluid Dynamics | The objective of this course is to introduce the students to fluid flow phenomena that are important in natural environments. The first part of the course will be an overview of fundamental fluid dynamics principles, including the Reynolds Transport Theorem and the NavierStokes equations. The second part of the course, the fundamental concepts will be applied to specific problems in environmental flows. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | egm | ||
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Advanced Stormwater Control | Chemical, physical, biological and hydrologic aspects of rainfall-runoff; and control through unit operations and processes (UOP); interactions between hydrologic processes; water chemistry, sediment transport, infrastructure materials and UOPs; constituent physical properties, chemistry and loads related to design of UOPs for control, treatment and/or reuse. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | env | online-option | |
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Wetland Hydrology | Water flow and chemical transport in wetlands. Surface water and ground water interaction in wetlands. Constructed wetlands for water treatment. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | env | online-option | |
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Littoral Processes | Shoreline developments; nearshore hydrodynamics; sediment transport phenomena by waves and wind; methods of determining littoral transport quantities; effects of groins, jetties, and other coastal structures on littoral processes. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | eoc | ||
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | River Forms and Processes | Study of fluvial processes, landforms and deposits and their changes due to environmental factors and human activities. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | geo | ||
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Physical Oceanography | Structure of ocean basins; physical and chemical properties of sea water; basic physical laws used in oceanography; ocean current; thermohaline effects; numerical models; heat budget. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | ocp | ||
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Conservation Hydrology | This course presents a watershed-scale survey of the processes through which water moves through the hydrologic cycle, and how watershed characteristics influence these processes. We will also examine how watershed characteristics influence stream and riparian ecosystems, and how they influence water resources for human needs. Additionally, we will review contemporary methods for water resource and stream ecosystem conservation; and present case studies that illustrate how these concepts are applied to real-world situations in the southeastern United States and beyond. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | sws | ||
Topic 2: Surface Hydrology | Topics in Soils (Landscape Hydrology) | Landscape hydrology considers larger spatial scales (> 100 km2) and integrates surface and subsurface processes. We apply quantitative hydrologic principles and modern techniques within parsimonious model frameworks to study problems of societal relevance. Students will develop a suite of research tools to analyze coupled hydrologic and environmental changes. | topic-2-surface-hydrology | sws | ||
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Nanotechnology in Water Research | Applications of environmental nanotechnology to water quality control. Fate and transport of nanomaterials in hydrologic pathways. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | abe | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Environmental Biochemistry of Trace Metals | Environmental impact and fate of trace metals and metalloids as they cycle through geological and biological environmental compartments. Emphasizes anthropogenic activities of metals with growing environmental concerns, including arsenic, mercury, chromium, and lead. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | cwr | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Principles of Water Chemistry 1 | Applying chemical principles to aqueous reactions. Emphasizes thermodynamics, kinetics, and aqueous equilibria including acid-base, solubility, complexation, precipitation, and redox. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | ees | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Advanced Water Treatment Water Process Design | Design of selected water treatment processes including disinfection, air stripping, adsorption, ion exchange and membrane processes. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | env | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Coastal Biogeochemistry | Principles of biogeochemical and microbial processes as they relate to environmental engineering in the coastal zone. Topics such as eutrophication, coastal contaminants, carbon cycling, and cross disciplinary techniques will be discussed. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | env | ||
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Hydrogeochemistry | An introduction to thermodynamic and kinetic controls on the chemical composition of “natural” water (i.e., not wastewater, water management, water treatment plants, or similar engineered systems). Will apply physical and chemical principles to a variety of reactions, mostly between fresh water and the atmosphere, carbonate, silicate, and iron-oxide minerals, as well as reactions in seawater and with other mineral phases. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | gly | ||
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Environmental Nutrient Management | Consumption, manufacture, properties, and reserves of fertilizer materials. Methods of application, effects on soil reaction, and plant requirements of fertilizer nutrients. Understanding specific fertilizer reactions. Also offered as a distance education course. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | sws | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Environmental Biogeochemistry | Overviewing of the biogeochemical processes affecting elemental cycling (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur) in global environmental systems. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | sws | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Wetlands and Water Quality | Introduction to natural and constructed wetland ecosystems. Problems associated with eutrophication and water quality. Hydrology, soils, and biogeochemistry. Also offered as a distance education course. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | sws | ||
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Soil and Water Chemistry | Theoretical background and current approaches to agricultural and environmental problems. Also offered as a distance education course. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | sws | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Biogeochemistry of Wetlands and Aquatic Systems | Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and redox cations in wetland soils and sediments, as related to their agronomic, ecological, and environmental significance. Also offered as distance education course. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | sws | online-option | |
Topic 3: Hydrologic Chemistry | Advanced Biogeochemistry | Global elemental cycles in terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic systems as related to water quality, carbon sequestration, and climate change. | topic-3-hydrologic-chemistry | sws | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Coastal Systems | Introduce students to the physical and biological factors that regulate the structure and functioning of estuarine and coastal ecosystems, including salt marshes, mangroves, oyster reefs, coral reefs, sponge reefs, seagrass meadows, and intertidal mudflats. | hydrologic-biology | env | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Biology of Fishes | Emphasizes trends in evolution, integrative and sensory biology, physiology, feeding ecology, reproduction, growth, and population dynamics as they relate to fisheries. Offered fall term in odd-numbered years. | hydrologic-biology | fas | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Field Ecology of Aquatic Organisms | Understanding principles of fish and shellfish ecology through field studies. Intensive study in lakes, rivers, and coastal marshes to gain understanding of how fish and shellfish interact with their environment. Requires extensive field trips. Offered summer term. | hydrologic-biology | fas | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Marine Adaptations: Environmental Physiology | Examines and compares the physiological adaptations of marine, estuarine, and freshwater organisms to environmental conditions at various organizational levels. Habitats discussed include freshwater, rocky intertidal, salt marsh, coral reef, and deep sea. | hydrologic-biology | fas | online-option | |
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Freshwater Ecology | Fisheries biology, aquaculture, and associated aquatic sciences. | hydrologic-biology | fas | online-option | |
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Ecohydrology | This course introduces ecohydrology – the study of interactions between organisms, ecosystems and the hydrologic cycle – using a blend of theory and case studies. | hydrologic-biology | fnr | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Estuarine Systems | An overview of the biogeochemistry of estuaries around the world, with particular emphasis on the impact of global change on these dynamic highly productive systems. | hydrologic-biology | gly | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Limnology | Biological, chemical, and physical dynamics of inland waters. | hydrologic-biology | pcb | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Wetlands and Water Quality | Introduction to natural and constructed wetland ecosystems. Problems associated with eutrophication and water quality. Hydrology, soils, and biogeochemistry. Also offered as a distance education course. | hydrologic-biology | sws | ||
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Ecology of Waterborne Pathogens | Modern methods for molecular and cultivation-dependent identification of soil- and waterborne pathogens. Risk assessment. Survival strategies, gene regulation, and metabolism of waterborne pathogens outside of their mammalian hosts. Also offered as a distance education course. | hydrologic-biology | sws | online-option | |
Topic 4: Hydrologic Biology | Zoogeochemistry: Animal Effects on Ecosystems | The course aims to introduce students to the direct and indirect pathways through which animals influence ecosystem function. Uses examples with aquatic systems | hydrologic-biology | zoo | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Biological Agricultural Systems Simulation | Basic concepts of systems analysis, modeling, and computer simulation of dynamic biological and agricultural systems. Methods for working with models, including sensitivity analysis, parameter estimation, and model evaluation. Applications of models in agricultural and biological systems. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Modeling Coupled Natural-Human Systems | Approaches to modeling coupled natural-human systems are explored, drawing from both natural and social sciences. Topics include regime shift from dynamical systems and basic concepts from game theory and social-ecological system literature. These are combined in models that operationalize a conceptual framework. Students develop models—with guidance—for final projects. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Agricultural Waste Management | Engineering analysis and design of systems for the collection, storage, treatment, transport, and utilization of livestock and other agricultural organic wastes and wastewaters. Field trips to operating systems and laboratory evaluation of materials and processes. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Stochastic Modeling in Ecology and Hydrology | Stochastic modeling is introduced through a problem-based approach. Selected papers are studied in depth; derivation of their main results unpacked. Examples include stochastic models of biodiversity, soil moisture, and rainfall. Students pick stochastic models to study for final projects. Students enjoy deeper understanding from unpacking these otherwise seemingly mysterious results. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Advanced Remote Sensing: Science and Sensors | Develops understanding of remote sensing theory and systems using information obtained from visible/near infrared, thermal infrared, and microwave regions of the EM spectrum. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Remote Sensing in Hydrology | Develops practical understanding of remote sensing applications to hydrology using observations in different regions of the EM spectrum. Seminar style with emphasis on literature review and presentation. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Advanced Soil and Water Management Engineering | Physical and mathematical analysis of problems in infiltration, drainage, and groundwater hydraulics. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | online-option | |
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Engineering Applications of Computer Vision and Deep Learning for Biological Systems | Topics in modern computer vision and deep learning techniques are explored with an emphasis on their engineering applications in agricultural and food systems. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | abe | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Wetland Design and Restoration | Applied and theoretical aspects of wetlands use for water quality management; natural and constructed treatment wetlands; engineering and ecology of wetland systems; design for sustainability and ancillary benefits. Theoretical and applied aspects of the restoration and management of wetland ecosystems. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | ees | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Biological Wastewater Treatment | Theory and current research associated with biological treatment processes. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | env | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Numerical Simulation Techniques in Coastal and Ocean Engineering | Numerical treatment of problems in ordinary and partial differential equations with application to incompressible geophysical fluid flows. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | eoc | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Advanced Topics in Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering: Hydro Models Estuarine & Coast | Waves; wave-structure interaction; coastal structures; ocean structures; sediment transport; instrumentation; advanced data analysis techniques; turbulent flow and its applications. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | eoc | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Water, Risks and Extreme Events | Investigates techniques for evaluating the risks of extreme events related to water in our environment. Presents data and methodologies for estimating the rarity of phenomena including excessive rainfall totals, high and low river levels, coastal storm surge and waves, and drought. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | geo | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Geographic Information Systems Applications in Environmental Systems | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | gis | |||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Spatial Analysis of Atmospheric Data using GIS | How atmospheric data are collected and analyzed both for meteorologic and climatologic-scale research. Learn where to obtain various types of data and how to analyze data to answer specific research questions. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | met | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | Data Analysis Techniques for Coastal and Ocean Engineers | Data editing, fundamentals of spectral analysis, subsurface and surface signal analysis, directional spectral analysis. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | ocp | ||
Topic 5: Hydrologic Analysis & Techniques | GIS in Land Resource Management | Introduction to basic concepts and use of “Arc GIS” to address land resource management issues. Also offered as a distance education course. | topic-5-hydrologic-analysis-techniques | sws | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Economics of Environmental Policy & Sustainability | AEB 6933 is a discussion-based course designed to provide students interested in environmental policy and sustainability with a broad overview of the field. Students will be introduced to a wide range of contemporary environmental topics and will gain knowledge of analytical and applied economic tools used to analyze and design environmental policy. The course will be organized around the following key topics: externalities and market failure, choice of environmental policy instruments, commonly used nonmarket valuation techniques and their implementation, behavioral economics approach to environmental policy, climate change water issues, and economics of sustainability. Students will complete a practice application project aimed at resolving a contemporary policy issue. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | aeb | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Natural Resource Economics | Resource use, management, development, and conservation. Institutional and market performance in providing socially desired outcomes. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | aeb | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Principles and Issues in Environmental Hydrology | This is a basic course in environmental hydrology intended for agricultural and natural resource managers. The first half of the course covers scientific principles of the hydrologic cycle while the second half investigates case studies of current water quality and water management issues. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | aom | online-option | |
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Advanced Environmental Planning and Design | Sustainable communities and regions. Quantitative methods for evaluating environmental impacts and carrying capacity. Theories of spatial and temporal organization of systems of humanity and nature. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | ees | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Environmental Policy | Policy analysis, making, and implementation. Analytical methods for evaluating alternative policies. Legal, social, political, and economic patterns and processes that shape the climate in which environmental policy is made. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | env | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Water Resources Planning and Management | Principles and practice of water resource planning and management. Protocols used at local, state, federal, regional, and international levels. Plan formulation, evaluation, and implementation. Stakeholder involvement in planning processes. Analytical tools. Case studies. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | env | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Managing Public Lands & Waters | This course involves the study of the concepts, principles and practices of managing public lands and waters of the United States, and, to a lesser extent, other countries; the natural resources involved; and the roles and responsibilities of governing bodies, management organizations, constituents and the general public. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | fnr | online-option | |
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Policy & Economics of Natural Resources | Factors in evolution of forest, range, wildlife and related natural resources administration and policies in the United States. Includes policy components, policy formation and implementation, change processes, and economic criteria for evaluating policy effectiveness. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | fnr | online-option | |
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Ecological and Environmental Policy | Survey of major environmental policy and law with particular reference to Florida case studies. Designated core course. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | laa | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Land Use and Planning Control | A study of the legal aspects of the allocation and development of land resources; private controls through covenants and easements; public regulation and control through zoning and subdivision regulation; social, economic and political implications of land regulations; eminent domain; selected current problems such as growth management, historic preservation, environmental regulations, and urban development. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | law | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Environmental Law | Introduction to modern environmental regulation and its foundations, covering common law precursors to environmental law and a survey of major regulatory issues and techniques, focusing on the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, with examples drawn from other statutes such as the Clean Air Act. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | law | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Natural Resources Law | Introduction to the management and protection of natural resources, including water, wetlands, and wildlife. Topics may include the development of green energy policy; the use of conservation easements to protect sensitive private lands; the public trust doctrine; and the protection of rivers, lakes, and springs. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | law | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Water Law | This course will focus on two major common law systems of surface water allocation followed in the United States and of modern statutory systems (with special focus on Florida’s statutory scheme). Other topics may include groundwater regulation, the public trust doctrine, the bottled water industry, and current issues in Florida. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | law | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Environmental Toxicology Applications in Public Health | Environmental toxicology examines exposure to chemical, biological, and physical agents and associated health effects in humans and wildlife. Students will analyze environmental fate of chemicals, exposure routes, mechanisms of toxicity, and critique common approaches used by public health professional when dealing with toxicants. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | phc | online-option | |
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Environmental Policy and Risk Management | This course provides students with an in depth understanding of the government’s environmental health structure, environmental policy making processes, important environmental policies, and application of these policies through risk assessment and management techniques to protect the public and the environment. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | phc | online-option | |
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Policy Evaluation | Examines methodologies appropriate for analyzing public policies. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | pup | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Water Resource Sustainability | Quantitative description of human impacts on hydrologic ecosystems (aquifers, watersheds, coastal zones, lakes, and wetlands). Case studies show the detrimental effects of unsustainable resource use and beneficial management strategies. Also offered as a distance education course. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | sws | online-option | |
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Sustainable Agricultural and Urban Land Use Management | Studying agricultural and urban water quality issues in Florida, their bases, land and nutrient management strategies, and the science and policy behind Best Management Practices (BMPs). Students will learn to evaluate BMP research and analyze its role in determining practices and policies that protect water quality. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | sws | ||
Topic 6: Hydrologic Policy & Management | Natural Resources Planning and Management | Quantitative description of human impacts on hydrologic ecosystems (aquifers, watersheds, coastal zones, lakes, and wetlands). Case studies show the detrimental effects of unsustainable resource use and beneficial management strategies. Also offered as a distance education course. | topic-6-hydrologic-policy-management | urp |