Course Outline for AGRO 105
SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
Spring 2004
WebCT Access of Course Material On-line (for students enrolled in the course)
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Walid H. Shayya |
Instructor Contact Information
|
GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:
AGRO 105 covers the principles of soil and water conservation. It provides the student with a basic understanding of conservation practices and their impact on the environment. Focus will be on practical applications through land use, runoff and erosion control, and soil and water management. Emphasis will also be placed on assessing the impact of conservation practices on the environment. Simple computer tools and models will be covered to enable students to gain a basic understanding of the complex, multifaceted problems that a professional is faced with while dealing with issues related to soil and water conservation.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
OFFICE HOURS:
The instructor has the following designated office hours per week:
- Mondays: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
- Tuesdays: 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
- Wednesdays: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
- Thursdays: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
- Fridays: 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Students are also welcome to make appointments to see the instructor at other times. Students with disabilities who require accommodations to fully-participate in the course activities are requested to contact the instructor within the first two weeks of the semester.
CONTACT HOURS AND CLASS SCHEDULE:
This is a two-credit hour course. It includes three contact hours per week of lecture and two contact hours per week for laboratory. The course runs for 7.5 weeks starting from March 24, 2004 (the 8th teaching week of the semester). The lectures are scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:30 to 8:45 a.m., in Room 202, Charlton Hall. The laboratory is scheduled for 2:00-3:50 p.m. on Thursdays in Room 201, Charlton Hall.
TEXTBOOK(S):
Schwab, G.O., C.C. Fangmeier, W.J. Elliot, and R.K. Frevert. 1993. Soil and Water Conservation Engineering (fourth edition). Wiley and Sons.
CLASS POLICIES:
GRADE COMPOSITION:
GRADING SCHEME:
The distribution of grades in this course will be based on the A-F University grading scheme. The letter grades correspond to the following percentage scale: A (90-100%), A- (87-89.9%), B+ (83-86.9%), B (80-82.9%), B- (77-79.9%), C+ (73-76.9%), C (70-72.9%), C- (67-69.9%), D+ (63-66.9%), D (60-62.9%), and F (<60%).
OUTLINE OF TOPICS:
Week |
Lecture Topic* |
Textbook Chapter |
Laboratory Topic* |
9 |
- Introduction to ARGO 105 |
|
Introduction to Computer Models and MS Excel |
10 |
- Introduction to Soil and Water Conservation |
Chapters 1 and 2 |
Weather Data Collection |
11 |
- Precipitation and Analysis Techniques |
Chapter 2 |
Precipitation and Analysis |
12 |
- Infiltration, Evaporation, and Transpiration |
Chapter 3 |
Evapotranspiration Estimation |
13 |
- Runoff |
Chapter 4 |
Predicting Runoff |
14 | - Water Erosion and Control Structures |
Chapter 5 |
Midterm
Examination (April 29, 2004) |
15 |
- Wind Erosion and Control Practices |
Chapter 6 |
Soil Erosion Using RUSLE |
16 |
- Vegetated Waterways |
Chapters 7 and 17 |
Open Channel Flow |
Final Examination (comprehensive) |
*The topics
and corresponding dates listed in the table above are tentative and may be
subject to change during the semester.