Section unk
FALL 2011
2 Credit Hours
Course Description
Dams have always played a substantial role in the landscape of human civilization. They provide water, power, flood control, transportation; they turn rivers into lakes, deserts into lush grasslands, landlocked cities into ports. They generate electricity and commerce--and they generate controversy and change. This course looks broadly at the role of dams in modern society, using the case histories of important dams throughout history, dam successes and tragedies, recent massive dams like the Three Gorges Dam in China, and proposals for even bigger dams in South America and Africa. The course examines the meanings of dams in terms of biological conservation, landscape ecology, environmental change, human development, economics, politics and international diplomacy.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Trace the historical development of dams and their associated engineering, human, and ecological contexts.
2. Understand the complex ecosystem of a dam and its corresponding physical and ecological environment; its engineering and technical requirements and solutions; its sociological, economic and political imperatives and outcomes.
3. Analyze the particular conditions and consequences affecting several of the largest and most famous (and perhaps infamous) dams in the world.
4. Synthesize and evaluate the particular conditions and consequences associated with an individual dam and its ecosystem.
Course Structure
The course meets weekly for a two-hour session. Each session will feature an aspect of the dam ecosystem, as well as a case study of a particular dam.
Instructors
Larry A. Nielsen (lanielse) - Instructor
Email: larry_nielsen@ncsu.edu
Web Page: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~lanielse/
Phone: 515-5314
Fax: 515-6193
Office Location: 3118A Jordan Hall
Office Hours: No specific hours; email me to set up a time
Course Meetings
Lecture

Days: T
Time: 6 pm - 8 pm
Campus: Main
Location: 2010 Biltmore
This meeting is required.
Course Materials
Textbooks
Colossus: Hoover Dam and the making of the American Century - Michael Hiltzik
Edition: 1st
ISBN: ISBN: 9781416532163
Cost: $30 (list; $16.30 from Amazon)
This textbook is required.
Expenses
None.
Materials
None.
Requisites and Restrictions
Prerequisites
None.
Co-requisites
None.
Restrictions
None.
General Education Program (GEP) Information
GEP Category
Interdisciplinary Perspectives
GEP Category Outcomes
1. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze and evaluate assessments of a dam ecosystem based on a scientific perspective (predicted and actual impacts of a dam), an engineering perspective (construction and siting of a dam), and socio-economic perspective (how does a dam affect a community?).
2. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze the various perspectives that have been used to either validate or invalidate the creation of a dam, including the overlapping and contradictory arguments from different disciplinary contexts.
3. By the end of the course, students will be able to synthesize the outcomes of analyzing dams from the individual disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive assessment of the benefits and liabilities of dam creation.
How This Course Will Fulfill GEP Category Outcomes
Student mastery of outcome 1 will be judged on the basis of (1) individual problem sets that address these perspectives separately, (2) active participation in class discussions,

and (3) comprehensiveness of their final term paper covering a particular dam ecosystem from all these perspectives.
Student mastery of outcome 2 will be judged on the basis of a written assignment that requires students to disaggregate the literature about a particular dam ecosystem into the various disciplinary perspectives and asks students to compare and contrast the logical outcomes from each perspective and their connections.
Student mastery of outcome 3 will be judged on the basis of (1) active participation in class discussions and (2) integration of the various disciplinary perspectives in their final term paper in order to produce a comprehensive assessment of the current and future benefits and liabilities of a dam.
Which disciplines will be synthesized, connected, and/or considered in this course?
The course deals with the inherently interdisciplinary subject of dams and their role in human society. Several disciplinary perspectives will be addressed in the course, including engineering (technical analysis and problem-solving for dam location, planning and construction), natural sciences (hypothesis testing in the context of predicted and observed outcomes of dam creation), social sciences (ethnographic analysis of the impacts and consequences of dam creation on communities and their customs), economics (analysis of alternative forms of investment and returns in the context of the reason for dam creation) and political science (analysis of stakeholders, power structures and forms of decision making). In addition, the course will feature arts and humanities content (e.g., design of dams as forms of architecture; music and literature featuring dam and related themes) to the extent possible.
How will the instructor present the material so that these disciplines are addressed in a way that allows the students "to integrate the multiple points of view into a cohesive understanding"?
The instructor will guide students in seeing the value in using multiple disciplinary perspectives by presenting the creation and use of dams in various contexts. The main organizational theme for the course will present dams from several perspectives, beginning with the historical development of dams (earliest dams, mill dams, low-head dams, modern dams; dam disasters); then the major reasons and rationale for dams (e.g., water supply, flood control, transportation, power supply); then the outcomes of dams (human and environmental perspectives); and the future of dams. Most of these sub-themes are inherently interdisciplinary themselves (e.g., coverage of the transportation aspects of dams involves societal development, early and current forms of transportation, political and legal issues, economic analysis, geophysical and biological issues, engineering aspects); and each sub-theme will be covered in a comprehensive context. In addition, each subtheme will be paired with a major dam or dam-development complex to present an entire “dam ecosystem” in each class period. Dam ecosystems covered will include the Three Gorges Dam (China), Aswan Dam (Egypt), Hoover Dam (Nevada), Tellico
Dam (Tennessee), Itaipu Dam (Brazil/Paraguay), the Ohio River system, Jordan Lake

Dam (North Carolina), and the planned Belo Monte Dam (Brazil). The course will utilize selected guests who will co-teach on a few evenings with the main instructor, providing their insights into the role of dams in human society. Finally, each student will be required to select a dam ecosystem which will be the basis for their assignments throughout the semester; the assignments will culminate in a required written paper that analyzes a dam ecosystem in all the aspects discussed in the course and listed
above.
GEP Co-requisites
This course does not fulfill a General Education Program co-requisite.
Transportation
This course will not require students to provide their own transportation. Non-scheduled class time for field trips or out-of-class activities is NOT required for this class.
Safety & Risk Assumptions
None.
Grading
Grade Components
Compone nt
Weigh t
Details
Mid-term exam
40% The mid-term exam will be essay and short-answer.
Final paper 40%
Attendance 20%
The final paper will be based on smaller assignments that provide the basis for a final, required written paper regarding a particular dam and its ecosystem.
Attendance is required. Two unexcused absences are permitted. After two unexcused absences, a student will lose 10% of the final grade for each of the next two unexcused absences. A student with 5 total unexcused absences will be given a grade no better than a D. A student with 6 total unexcused absences will be given an F.
Excused absences are absences approved by the instructor before the class in which the student will be absent or, in the case of emergencies, approved by the instructor after the absence based on documented illness or other emergency. For a list of University excused absences, see information at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.2
0.3.php
Letter Grades
This Course uses Standard NCSU Letter Grading:

97 ≤ A+ ≤ 100
93 ≤ A < 97
90 ≤ A- < 93
87 ≤ B+ < 90
83 ≤ B < 87
80 ≤ B- < 83
77 ≤ C+ < 80
73 ≤ C < 77
70 ≤ C- < 73
67 ≤ D+ < 70
63 ≤ D < 67
60 ≤ D- < 63
0 ≤ F < 60
Requirements for Credit-Only (S/U) Grading
In order to receive a grade of S, students are required to take all exams and quizzes, complete all assignments, and earn a grade of C- or better. Conversion from letter grading to credit only (S/U) grading is subject to university deadlines. Refer to the Registration and
Records calendar for deadlines related to grading. For more details refer to http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.15.php
.
Requirements for Auditors (AU)
Information about and requirements for auditing a course can be found at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/pols_regs/REG205.00.5.php
.
Policies on Incomplete Grades
If an extended deadline is not authorized by the instructor or department, an unfinished incomplete grade will automatically change to an F after either (a) the end of the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled (not including summer sessions), or (b) the end of 12 months if the student is not enrolled, whichever is shorter. Incompletes that change to F will count as an attempted course on transcripts. The burden of fulfilling an incomplete grade is the responsibility of the student. The university policy on incomplete grades is located at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/grades_undergrad/REG02.50.3.php
.
Late Assignments
Late assignments are not accepted, except by prior approval of the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Attendance
See grading section. Attendance is required. Approved absences are allowed, according to university policy. . For a list of University excused absences, see information at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.3.php
Absences
See grading section. Approved absences are allowed, according to university policy. .
For a list of University excused absences, see information at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.3.php
Makeup Work

None allowed
Additional Excuses Policy
None
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity
Students are required to comply with the university policy on academic integrity found in the Code of Student Conduct found at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/student_services/student_discipline/POL11.35.1.php
Academic Honesty
See http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/student_services/student_discipline/POL11.35.1.php
for a detailed explanation of academic honesty.
Honor Pledge
Your signature on any test or assignment indicates "I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this test or assignment."
Electronically-Hosted Course Components
There are no electronically-hosted components for this course.
Accommodations for Disabilities
Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, student must register with the Disability
Services Office ( http://www.ncsu.edu/dso ) located at 1900 Student Health Center, Campus
Box 7509, 919-515-7653. For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities Regulation at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.1.php.
Non-Discrimination Policy
NC State University provides equality of opportunity in education and employment for all students and employees. Accordingly, NC State affirms its commitment to maintain a work environment for all employees and an academic environment for all students that is free from all forms of discrimination. Discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation is a violation of state and federal law and/or NC State University policy and will not be tolerated. Harassment of any person (either in the form of quid pro quo or creation of a hostile environment) based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation also is a violation of state and federal law and/or NC State University policy and will not be tolerated. Retaliation against any person who complains about discrimination is also prohibited. NC State's policies and regulations covering discrimination, harassment, and retaliation may be accessed at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/campus_environ or http://www.ncsu.edu/equal_op.
Any person who feels that he or she has been the subject of prohibited discrimination, harassment, or retaliation should contact the Office for Equal
Opportunity (OEO) at 919-515-3148.

Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 1 -- To build a dam —
8/23/2011 - 8/23/2011
The history of dams and dam-making, from earliest times to mill dams, through the mid-
1850s.
Textbook assigned reading: Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 2 -- To build a bigger dam —
8/30/2011 - 08/30/2011
The journey from low-head dams to massive dams, and what it takes to build a new dam today.
Textbook assigned reading: Chapters 3 and 4
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 3 -- Living (and dying) with dams — 9/6/2011 - 9/6/2011
The nature of human society with the aid of dams, and the devastating tragedies surrounding dam failures.
Textbook assigned reading: Chapter 14 and 15
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 4 -- Why a dam? Water supply
— 9/13/2011 - 9/13/2011
The role of dams in providing needed water, whether for a small community or the arid southwestern United States.
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 5 -- Why a dam?
Transportation — 9/20/2011 - 9/20/2011
The role of dams in taming rivers for navigation, providing the route to land and riches over the mountains.
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 6 -- Why a dam? Power —
9/27/2011 - 9/27/2011
The role of dams in bringing power--first mechanical and later electrical--to the home, workplace and landscape.
Textbook assigned reading: Chapters 5, 6 and 7
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 7 -- Why a dam? Flood control
— 10/4/2011 - 10/4/2011
The role of dams in controlling the devastating results of flood waters--and how we've adapted to the new security.
Textbook assigned reading: Chapters 8 and 9
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 8 -- What else a dam does --
Human society — 10/11/2011 - 10/11/2011
The side-effects of dams on human societies, from a social and cultural perspective.
Textbook assigned reading: Chapters 10 and 11

Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 9 -- What else a dam does --
Human society — 10/18/2011 - 10/18/2011
The side-effects of dams on human societies, from an economic and political perspective.
Textbook assigned reading: Chapters 12 and 13
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 10 -- What else a dam does --
Environment — 10/25/2011 - 10/25/2011
The causes and consequences of environmental change, from a geophysical and water resources perspective.
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 11 -- What else a dam does --
Environment — 11/1/2011 - 11/1/2011
The causes and consequences of environmental change, from an ecological perspective.
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 12 -- The world of dams today
— 11/8/2011 - 11/8/2011
The current condition of the dam inventory, in the U.S. and the world, and what we're doing about it--safety, repair, removal.
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 13 -- The world of dams tomorrow — 11/15/2011 - 11/15/2011
What the world is planning in regards to new dams, especially with regard to electric power and water supply in developing countries.
Lecture T 6 pm - 8 pm — Week 14 -- What do we think about dams? — 11/29/2011 - 11/29/2011
A class discussion about our views about dams and the future of dams in our world, based on what we've learned this term.