Today we will have two sessions focussed on the understanding of physical-chemical-biological systems. The first session will focus primarily on the physical and the second on the chemical and biological but they will inevitably overlap. The readings are designed to give you an introductory, broad and general substantive knowledge of these systems. Some of you know much more than I on these topics because they are in areas of your particular experience and expertise. The readings also illustrate specific examples of some of the concepts from the previous class. We will discuss not only the substantive knowledge of these systems but more importantly your strategy in developing and maintaining your understanding of them when they are outside your field of specialization and understanding of them is changing continuously.
I recommend you read the web pages from Environment Canada's Freshwater Website in the order that I have listed them below for the first hour-and-half and on the agenda for the second hour-and-half. You will find that there is some repetition in the way they have organized the material but you can skim when you encounter this. Their treatment of topics is also uneven in its level of detail and sophistication. I have noted a few examples of what you might want to omit that is unnecessarily detailed for this stage of the course.Water - Here, There and Everywhere (read section and follow links as appropriate to your level of understanding and interest)
Water - Vulnerable To Climate Change (read section and follow links as appropriate to your level of understanding and interest)
Threats to Water Availability in Canada > Perspective (skim Perspective by O'Neill and note approach to summarizing the status of knowledge and priorities for further research)
An Impending Water Crisis in Canada's Prairie Provinces This paper was contributed by David Schindler on his election to the National Academy of Sciences. Read it for its substantive content and as an example of detailed science being presented in very accessible language and a concise format while making strong and convincing arguments.
"Fresh water resources in Canada" in Human Activity and the Environment Annual Statistics 2003, is the most recent update of key information that was first summarized in the Report of the Inquiry on Federal Water Policy in 1985. As indicated in the agenda we will consider selected tables and figures from this 2003 report in the first part of this morning (Section 1 of report) and Sections 2.2 and 2.3 will contribute to the discussion during the second part of the morning. Next week we will draw on Section 2.1 and Section 3 is generally relevant. Statistics Canada issues this report each year with a different topic focus each time: '02 Air Quality; '04 Energy; '05 Solid Waste; and '06 Transportation; '07&'08 Climate Change in Canada; '09 Food in Canada; '10 Freshwater Supply and Demand in Canada. Although the title for the last report is broadly focused on water once again, the report is sadly not adding updates on the 2003 report but rather additional perspectives, notably compating Canada and other countries.
RésEau is a portal for national water related information that is being led by Environment Canada in partnership with Natural Resources Canada and Health Canada. It is a demonstration initiative of Government On-Line.
Waterbucket is a portal for information relating to "sustainable approaches to water resources" being developed for British Columbia by a partnership among all levels of governments and non-governmental organizations. It is also a work in progress.
French real time flow data Last August my wife and I were surprised to suddenly find the Saone River flow beginning to rise. By going onto the French governments web site we were able to look at real time flow readings for the streams entering the Saone above where we were and understand what was beginning to happen (just click on the little rectangles to see the graph for that guaging station). Over a three day period the water level at our moorage in Chalon-sur-Saone rose nearly 10 feet - here is a screen shot of the reported flow rise and fall at the Chalon guage .
USGS Real time water data for Washington State - This is an example of how a wide variety of local data is being made available real time.
The BC River Forecast Centre shows how data can be used to provide close to real time forecasts of flood risks in British Columbia.
Anderson, M. G. and Burt, T. P. 1985. "Modelling Strategies," in Anderson, M. G. and Burt, T. P. (eds.) Hydrological Forecasting. New York: John Wiley pp.1-13. This is an accessible introduction to computer modelling for water resources and still useful even though it is 20 years old. Available in WebCT. Let me know if you know of anything better and more up to date. Chapter 3 of Loucks and Beek provides an introduction to the modelling that is the focus of their book but it is not as accessible.
Review Preparation for Next Class Wednesday 23rd January