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Dr.
J. Steven Kite
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E-Mail
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JKITE@WVU.EDU
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Office
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222/223
White Hall
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Web
Page
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Phone
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293-5603
ext. 4330
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Office
Hours
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Tu Th 14:00 to 15:30
or by appointment
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INTRODUCTION
Geology/Geography
493G is a three-credit course with two 75 minute
lecture-lab-discussion
sections. (Proposed
for 2007: Geology/Geography
427 is a three-credit course with one 75 minute
lecture and one 170 minute
lab-discussion meeting each week.) The course is
intended for serious upper-level students
in a variety of majors.
Prerequisites
for this course are minimal: GEOL 101 and 102 or GEOL?GEOG
110 and
111
or consent. However, the
work load is appropriate for a
senior-graduate student course.
The proposed WVU Catalog description of this course is as follows:
Physical science and
natural
hazards related to rivers, streams, and adjacent fluvial landforms and
hill
slopes. Focus on sediment transport, flood studies, and the science
behind
stream restoration techniques.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES
4.Because legislation and regulation drive the direction of
much geomorphology research, students
will become familiar with the most important stream laws, including the
Clean Water Act, and what regulatory agencies are responsible for
enforcement.
5.Students
will learn the basics of flood and landslide avoidance, as well as
appropriate
response to these hazards, particularly in an Appalachian regional
context.
6.Students
will participate in role-playing activities that will demonstrate the
complex
process of consensus building with varied water-invested stakeholders
with
differing agendas.
7.Students
will employ various stream classification methodologies using maps and
field data.
8.Students
will develop personalized research interests through conducting an
independent
or small-team project. (Some suggestions are listed below.) These
projects may be closely integrated into senior theses or graduate research.
9.Students
will use field study to observe and analyze physical and ecological
aspects
of streams of various sizes and descriptions.
10.If
safe opportunities present themselves during the semester (they usually
do!), students
will
visit and analyze sites of flooding or landsliding.
GRADING
Grades
will be based on the following criteria for undergraduates:
Three tests
(each 25 % of
grade)
A
project (15% of grade)
Class participation & attendance (10 % of grade)
Grades will be based on the
following criteria for graduate
students:
Three tests
(each 22.5 % of
grade)
A project (22.5 % of grade)
Class participation & attendance
(10 % of grade)
A
landform-surficial geology map of a stream
valley
and/or series of hillslopes.
A
flood chronology study based on landforms, sediments, dendrochronology,
etc.
A flood
history of a river or stream, based on official records, histories,
oral
tradition, newspapers, etc.
A flood
or landslide risk-reduction or mitigation plan for a specific area.
A
natural disaster preparedness plan for a "real" community.
A
stream ecological assessment that links habitat to geomorphology.
A
stream restoration plan.
An
assessment of the volume of material actually moved by coal mining in
the
region.
Something
else that is exciting to you and related to the course topics, as long as it is is original research and not predominantly a literature review "term
paper."
Class
participation
will be evaluated by your preparedness for class as evidence by the
questions
you ask and your answer to my questions. Sitting in class like a
bump on a log is satisfactory participation (i.e. "C" work) at best.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND ETHICS
READINGS
The readings for each of the 3 course units will begin with fairly technical material, supplemented by a review of basic geomorphology Subsequent readings are more topical and web-based where possible. The last readings for each unit are more site specific, e.g. case studies.
The
assigned
textbook,
Leopold, Luna B., 1994, A View of a
River, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 298 p.
will give you the conceptual "feel" of
how rivers work. Read most of this book before the first test.
There are two highly recommended,
enjoyable books
that
I would like you to read:
McCullough,
David, 1968, The Johnstown Flood: New York, Simon & Schuster,
302 p.
Nealy, William, 1986, Kayak: The Animated Manual of Intermediate and Advanced Whitewater Technique, Birmingham, AL, Menasha Ridge Press, 171 p.
FIELD TRIPS
Several required brief local trips will be run during class early in the semester. A one day field trip is also required. Two opportunities will be presented for you to take this trip, either 15 or 29 October. All field trips are weather permitting... but remember this is a class on floods, so we will probably go into the field except in truly exceptional circumstances. Transportation will be provided by the Department for two van loads of students. Trips may be somewhat physically demanding and somewhat dangerous, including some hiking. If you have concerns about your ability to safely participate and enjoy this trip or if other concerns such as work interfere with these field opportunities, see me to set up an alternative exercise. Choose your footwear with "mud" and gravel in mind and dress according to the weather.
DISABILITY
If your are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class, please advise me early in the semester, and make appropriate arrangements with Disability Services (293-6700).
SOCIAL
JUSTICE
EXTRA CREDIT
All extra credit work will be averaged into the rest of the class grade, rather than added on. This grading method means that extra-credit work must be of superior quality for it to improve your grade. Extra credit will be graded under the same rigorous standards as other work in the class. Students who do extra credit work must submit a typed 100-200 word proposal describing the project before Thanksgiving break. The proposal will be approved or denied within 7 days of receipt. Extra Credit could include a second project.
The final schedule will be set in the 2nd week of class. Anticipate the following dates:
Short Field Trips during class at any
time
through October!
One-day Field Trips: 15 Oct and 29 Oct.
Test 1: 21 September (Note
Date Change from version 1.0)
Test 2: 31 October
Test 3 - Final Exam: Thursday 7
December at 5:30 pm
All Projects due before 4:45 p.m. 13
December
(Wednesday of Exam Week)
Most recent version of this document is
at http://www.geo.wvu.edu/%7Ekite/Description493g.html