University of Arizona
Geography and Regional Development 304
Water, Environment, and Society
Spring Semester 2012, Lectures: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30 – 10:45 a.m., Harvill Bldg. Room 101
Instructor
Office hours
Dr. Christopher Scott; E-mail: cascott@email.arizona.edu
Tuesdays 10:45–11:45 a.m., Harvill Bldg. Room 410
Course summary
Explores human and natural systems and their dependence on freshwater at multiple scales. Topics of
interest include global change, ecosystem services, groundwater, urbanization, land use, watershed and
river basin management, stakeholder processes, and water policy.
Course materials
Environment and Society: Human Perspectives on Environmental Issues, 5th Edition. Charles L. Harper.
2012. Pearson. 314 pages. ISBN: 0205820530
Rivers for Life: Managing Water for People and Nature. Sandra Postel and Brian Richter. 2003. Island
Press. 220 pages. ISBN: 1559634448
Additional reading materials will be on the course D2L site (https://d2l.arizona.edu/) or distributed in class.
Grading policy
Grades are based on class participation and regular assignments including quizzes on assigned
readings (15%), two midterm exams (20% each), attendance at the required UA campus water-harvesting
field trip (10%), and a final comprehensive exam (35%). All testing is in class. Grading is strictly on the
standard model (i.e. A=100-90, B=89-80, … E=59 and lower). All exams have some combination of
multiple-choice questions, problem-solving, and a written component. Students who have to miss an exam
due to illness or other extraordinary event must contact the instructor in advance of the start of the exam to
schedule a makeup. Requests to miss and makeup an exam that are received after the start of the exam
will not be approved under any circumstances, resulting in an E grade on that exam.
Requirements
This syllabus is my contract with you. I expect you to follow it, just as I will. Regular class
attendance is expected from every student. Please turn off laptops not being used to take notes, cell
phones, MP3 players or other music, and be quiet in the classroom. Note the UA policy on late drops:
“Beginning the second week and continuing through the last day of classes, a $25 penalty fee will be
charged to the student per student-initiated drop and per administrative drop (but not for a department drop
or section change).”
Sites that you are responsible to know and follow:
Threatening behavior:
http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml
Academic integrity:
http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/academicintegrity
Religious holidays:
http://www.registrar.arizona.edu/religiousholidays/calendar.htm
Students with disabilities: http://drc.arizona.edu/students/drc-intro
DRC students interested to get support – please speak with the instructor or come to office hours.
All students – for any issue, problem, or concern, please speak with or email the instructor or come to office
hours.
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University of Arizona
Geography and Regional Development 304
CLASS SCHEDULE (subject to revision as announced in class)
Date
Topic
Thu. 1/12
Tue. 1/17
Thu. 1/19
Tue. 1/24
Thu. 1/26
Tue. 1/31
Thu. 2/2
Tue. 2/7
Thu. 2/9
Tue. 2/14
Thu. 2/16
Tue. 2/21
Thu. 2/23
Tue. 2/28
Thu. 3/1
Tue. 3/6
Introduction and course overview
Environment and human systems
Environmental social science; Drivers of change
Land, water, biodiversity
Waste; Resources of the Earth
Climate change, science, risk
Policy options – global warming
Energy, energetics of human societies
Energy alternatives, transitions, policy
Population, growth
Food, hunger, policy
Agriculture, virtual water, more crop per drop
Globalization, inequality
Transformation: markets
Transformation: politics, policy
Environmentalism, enviro justice; Exam 1 review
Thu. 3/8
Tue. 3/13
Thu. 3/15
Tue. 3/20
Thu. 3/22
Tue. 3/27
Thu. 3/29
Tue. 4/3
Thu. 4/5
Tue. 4/10
Mid-term exam 1
Spring Break –
no classes
Harnessing rivers
Freshwater ecology
Environmental flows
Policies for river restoration: international cases
U.S. water policy
Water allocation, economics, management
Integrated water management; Exam 2 review
Thu. 4/12
Tue. 4/17
Thu. 4/19
Tue. 4/24
Thu. 4/26
Tue. 5/1
Tue. 5/8
Reading to be completed before class
Harper pp. 1-17
Harper pp. 17-32
Harper pp. 33-48
Harper pp. 49-60
Harper pp. 61-75
Harper pp. 75-91
Harper pp. 93-110
Harper pp. 110-125
Harper pp. 127-142
Harper pp. 142-159
See D2L and http://www.waterfootprint.org/
Harper pp. 160-180
Harper pp. 191-201
Harper pp. 201-219
Harper pp. 223-226 & 228-242 & 251-252
Covers all Harper readings & agriculture (2/21),
including topics and material discussed in class
Postel & Richter pp. 1-26
Postel & Richter pp. 26-41
Postel & Richter pp. 42-78
Postel & Richter pp. 79-92 & 177-182
Postel & Richter pp. 92-112 & 151-157
Postel & Richter pp. 112-119 & 139-146
Postel & Richter pp. 167-177 & 199-204
Covers all Postel & Richter readings, including
Mid-term exam 2
topics and material discussed in class
Tucson Water Plan 2000-2050
On D2L: Executive Summary, Tucson Water Plan
Santa Cruz River
On D2L: Logan pp. 181-202
Class: Central Arizona Project & Colorado River http://www.cap-az.com/AboutUs.aspx top-left index
bar, read: FAQ, mission/vision, history, customers.
4:00-6:00 pm: UA campus water-harvesting tour Tour starts in front of Harvill at 4:00 pm sharp
Groundwater: Arizona & international cases
On D2L: Scott short material
Covers all readings, D2L materials, and topics &
Course summary and final exam review
material discussed in class
Final exam (8:00 am – 10:00 am)
Comprehensive final exam
Final note
All information contained in this syllabus (other than the grading policy portion) may be subject to
change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
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