A comprehensive watershed instrumentation program for multidisciplinary undergraduate education at Lafayette College

Lafayette College, Easton PA

Investigators

Abstract

Earth Systems Science (40) Multidisciplinary environmental problems associated with urban/suburban growth are increasingly being addressed at a watershed-integrated level. Consistent with this theme, the proposed project involves undergraduate students using a comprehensive network of automated water quantity and water quality instrumentation to investigate environmental impacts in a rapidly-developing watershed (the Bushkill Creek Watershed) adjacent to campus. Hydrologic and chemical data are collected and analyzed as part of exercises within existing engineering and geoscience courses and undergraduate research and honors theses. These exercises enhance our students' abilities to critically evaluate a variety of interdependent watershed-based processes that may affect environmental quality. The project is a cooperative effort among faculty from engineering and the geological sciences; however, other faculty teaching courses with environmental content have an interest in using the facilities and the databases generated by the project. The general objectives of the project are: to provide relevant hands-on data collection and analysis experiences for undergraduates in science and engineering, to establish a central theme of assessment and management of a rapidly developing watershed for a variety of curriculum projects across campus, to develop a detailed digital database on hydrologic impacts of land use in the watershed, and to disseminate results through the internet, conference presentations, scholarly publications, and local community meetings. The project is patterned after similar watershed-based curriculum projects at a number of small colleges and universities in the northeast U.S. (Hluchny 1997, 1998; Heins and Walker, 1998; Woltemade and Blewett, 1999; Salvage and Graney, 1999, 2000). Unique to this project are: (1) the comprehensive monitoring network and full watershed scale (200 km 2 ); (2) strong geologic and land use contrasts, and rapid development within the basin; (3) cooperation and collaboration between engineering and geological science students and faculty; (4) emphasis on enhancing undergraduate education in practical multidisciplinary issues such as watershed-based planning and land use decisions, and storm water management policy; and (5) the high level of involvement of the local community and local government in watershed management. References Cited Hluchy, M., 1997. Alfred University's On-Campus Field Hydrology Site: A Practical, Inexpensive, and Fun Way to Teach Hydrogeology, 1997 Geological Society of America Meeting Abstracts with Programs 29: A22-A23. Hluchy, M., 1998. Student Involvement in Construction of a Hydrogeological Field Station for Undergraduate Teaching and Research, 1998 Geological Society of America Meeting Abstracts with Programs 30: A307. Heins, W.A., and J.R. Walker, 1998. Using a campus waterway for undergraduate-course exercises and summer-research experiences, J. of Geoscience Education, 46: 45-50. Woltemade, C., and W.L. Blewett, 1999. Burd Run Interdisciplinary Watershed Research Laboratory, National Science Foundation Award Abstract #9950652 Salvage, K., and J. Graney, 1999. Adapting Watershed Research and Instrumentation to the Undergraduate Curriculum at SUNY, Binghamton, National Science Foundation Award Abstract #9950491. Salvage, K., and J. Graney, 2000. On campus field work and research for undergraduates based on collection of hydrological and environmental data, abstract submitted to J. Geoscience Education