GEOG40530: Hydro-Meteorological Hazards

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• The aim of this module is to provide students with fundamental knowledge of physical processes that drive hydro-meteorological hazards from a quantitative perspective. This perspective enables statistical and simulation modelling approaches to quantify the potential impacts of land use and climate change on hydro-meterological hazards. This knowledge enables the investigation of how future hazards may be mitigated as part of a management strategy. The module draws from local and global examples to show how these hazards impact different communities and how the management of the hazard can be achieved.

• The module will cover three themes
• 1. Meterological drivers and processes leading to the occurance of hydro-meterological hazards
• 2. The quantification of the magnitude and frequency of hydro-meteorological hazards, with a focus on floods and drought
• 3. Predicting hydro-meteorological hazards with quantitative methods.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Understanding of the primary drivers of hydro-meterological hazards and the interactions between elements of the hazard system, including feedbacks
• Appreciation of the different types of hydro-meterological hazards and their measurement
• Understanding of the role played by catchment hydrological processes in the generation and mitigation of hydro-meterological hazards.
• Understanding of the different approaches to hydro-meteorological hazards management including engineered solutions, nature-based solutions and non-structural approaches, such as early warning systems.
• Understanding the basics of the climate and hydrological science required as inputs to hazard analysis, and the associated tools used in those sciences.
• Understanding of how climate change predictions are made, how to handle these datasets to make predictions of changes to hydro-meteorological hazards in the future within an uncertainty framework.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Ability to undertake statistical analysis of dataset of hydro-meteorological hazards, such as for return period analysis using the statistical distribution (e.g. Gumbel)
• Competence to use simulation modelling approaches, for example in, catchment hydrology and flood inundation predictions. This modelling includes an awareness of data issues, calibration and validation
• Capability to analyse large scale meteorological drivers associated with drought and floods.

Key Skills:

• Critical evaluation and synthesis of published data and interpretations
• Technical skills in analysing data (e.g. time-series, extremes, trends)
• Demonstrate the ability to complete written work within word limits, including report writing skills
• Ability to undertake quantitative analysis and assessment of hydro-meteorological hazards

• There are three modes of teaching:
• 1. Lectures will provide core understanding, including that associated with the subject knowledge, and the underpinning science to enable acquisition of necessary subject skills;
• 2. Practical exercises (in the form of workshops), as well as a formative report, will be used to develop the specific subject skills, based around case examples linked to research and to develop student understanding of lecture-based material;
• 3. A field day will demonstrate how flood hazard management approaches are applied.
• Independent study will be required to deepen the student's subject knowledge through reading, and to develop practical skills, with practical classes assisting with these.
• We will assess subject skills through short practical exercises linked to each practical.

Formative feedback will be provided through verbal discussions in class, and through written feedback. A formative practical report will be set to guide the two summative reports.

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